Crows are a species of passerine bird that may be found worldwide. Black plumage and a bent beak distinguish these birds.
However, various other birds resemble crows or share some of their traits.
Image Name
Common Raven
Red-Winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brewer's Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Western Jackdaw
Pied Currawong
Western Rook
Black-Billed Magpie
Alpine Chough
European Starling
Chihuahuan Raven
Birds That Look Like Crows
1. Common Raven
Common ravens are present in large numbers throughout the united states. Deserts, seashores, pastures, and other wide and wooded areas are favored.
Color
Ravens’ feathers are shining black. Their throat and neck are shabby. They have a bill that is larger, curvier, and sharper, as well as a turf of feathers on top. The form of their tail is wedge-shaped.
The similarity between both birds is that they are entirely black, whereas the feathers of common ravens have tiny streaks of grey and brown. Both these birds share the same genus.
Common ravens, like red-tailed hawks, are much bigger than American crows. Their bills are significantly bigger, curvier, and sharper than American crows’. They have wedge-shaped tails, whereas crows have fan-shaped tails.
2. Red-Winged Blackbird
Invasive throughout Canada, Central America, and the United States, the red-winged blackbird is an invasive species. These birds love environments such as prairies, marshland, meadows, and wetlands.
Red-winged blackbirds have wide shoulders and are stocky.
Color
Males’ plumage, eyes, beak, and feet are mostly black. On the wings, they feature a red mark with a yellow border. Their beak is conical and extremely pointed. Their tails are medium in length and rounded.
Red-winged blackbirds are entirely black except for their red wings, just like American crows. In terms of physical size, both birds are around the same size. Furthermore, red-winged blackbirds have conical bills similar to crows.
The looks of an American crow and a red-winged blackbird are significantly distinct. American crows do not have wings of red color with a bordering yellow, as do red-winged blackbirds. Red-winged blackbirds have a shorter beak.
3. Common Grackle
The common grackle is a bird native to North America that may be found most often in the United States. Agricultural fields, metropolitan parks, and residential lawns are their favorite open and semi-open spaces.
The heads of common grackles show a purple iridescence.
Color
They have purple and bronze hues in their plumage. The tails are approximately half as long as the body. The eyes have a golden hue, and they have a pointed tip. The bill is long and narrow.
American crows and common grackles are in the same family. From afar, these birds seem to be black crows. Their beak, legs, and tails are all black, after all.
The bills are highly pointed, similar to crow bills. Although common grackles and American crows appear identical at first glance, closer investigation reveals significant differences. American crows are entirely black, whereas common grackles are dark blue-black.
Common grackles have yellow eyes, unlike American crows. Almost half of all American crows are these crow-like birds.
4. Brewer’s Blackbird
Brewer’s blackbirds are prevalent near water in open places. Because of their size and color, these birds are frequently mistaken for crows. They are, nevertheless, indigenous to North America and may be found across the continent.
Male Brewer’s blackbirds are frequently observed in groups of six or seven, defending territories against other male Brewer’s blackbirds that try to infringe on their territory.
In addition, unlike many other birds, they do not travel south during the winter. They’re recognized for their gleaming iridescent black plumage and purple head and neck.
Length & Weight
This blackbird is around 63 grams in weight and about 8-10 inches in length.
Food
Brewer’s blackbirds feed mostly in fields or around the water, eating seeds, insects, and berries.
Habitat
Their native habitat is open and semi-open settings in western and central North America.
5. Great-tailed Grackle
Even though it is ubiquitous in North and South America, the Great-tailed Grackle is sometimes ignored. They’re roughly the size of a crow, but their plumage is iridescent black with a glossy purple-blue sheen.
Food & Habitat
Berries, fruits, caterpillars, bugs, lizards, hatchlings, and eggs are among the foods they consume, which is why they feed on the ground in pastures, scrubs, and wetlands.
Length & Weight
These birds are 40-45 cm long and weigh between 200 and 265 grams. The term ‘great’ is crucial here. Their tails may grow to be up to 20 centimeters long.
6. Brown-Headed Cowbird
Brown-headed cowbirds are endemic to North America and maybe seen year-round in the southern sections of the continent. These birds migrate to the southern United States and Mexico during bad weather.
Habitat
Fields, meadows, woodland margins, lawns, and pastures are among the open and semi-open habitats they favor.
Brown-headed cowbirds have the heads of finches. Males have brown heads and iridescent black bodies. Their beak is thick and sharply conical. Their eyes are black. In comparison to their overall size, their tail is shorter.
Brown-headed cowbirds have a similar body color to American crows. Even from afar and in dim light, they appear completely black. Furthermore, the eyes, beak, wings, and legs are all black, like American crows.
Brown-headed cowbirds are shorter than American crows when it comes to size. The most distinguishing feature is that these birds have brown heads. They also have smaller bills and finch-like heads compared to American crows.
7. Western Jackdaw
Western jackdaws, also known as European jackdaws, may be found throughout northwest Africa and Western Europe. Meadows, grasslands, and seaside cliffs are among their favorite open and semi-open environments.
Color
The black, glossy plumage of Western jackdaws has a purple or blue gleam. They have grey-silver cheeks and necks. Their eyes have a pale grey color that stands out. The legs have a dark tone to them. The bills are small and thin.
The Corvus genus includes both of these birds. These birds have black beaks and legs, just like American crows. Because of the gray feather, they might be mistaken for young hooded crows.
Furthermore, the bills of western jackdaws are shorter than those of American crows. These birds have grey eyes, whereas American crows have black eyes.
8. Pied Currawong
Pied Currawongs are Australian natives. From Victoria to northern Queensland, they may be found throughout eastern Australia. Agricultural fields, woods, woodlands, and suburban regions are among their preferred rural and semi-urban settings.
Color
The eyes of Pied Currawongs are a brilliant yellow color. They have a purple color and look like black charcoal. Their bills are huge and black, and their legs are dark grey-black. The tail feathers and wings have white spots on them. Their breasts and bellies are covered with scruffy hair.
Pied currawongs have black plumage that resembles that of American crows. You might not be able to tell them apart if you view them together from afar. Both birds are nearly identical in size.
The pied currawong has somewhat white patches in its tail feathers and wings, the most visible distinction between it and an American crow.
Currawong feathers are dark charcoal with a purple color, unlike glossy crow feathers. Pied currawongs also have larger bills and tails than crows.
9. Western Rook
Western rooks may be found in Western Europe, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Palearctic, and Eastern Siberia, among other places. Agricultural fields, pastures, municipal parks, suburban lawns, and other open spaces are preferred.
Color
Western rooks have a lustrous blue or bluish-purple plumage. Their bills are paler and straighter, with a grey bill base.
They have thick and silky feathers on the forehead, shoulder, and throat. Their feet and legs are generally dark in color. Their eyes have a deep brown color.
Western rooks are members of the Corvidae family of crows. Juvenile rooks resemble adult American crows owing to their completely feathered faces. Black plumage is found on both western rooks and crows. They have blackish legs and feet as well.
The key distinction is that western rooks have gleaming blue or bluish-purple feathers. The bill base is somewhat grey, whereas the bill base of American crows is black.
Western rooks, on the other hand, have larger wings than crows. They have dark brown eyes, whereas crows have black eyes.
10. Black-Billed Magpie
Corvidae is the crow family, and black-billed magpies are part of it. Black-billed magpies have bills, faces, wings, tails, and legs that are similar to those of American crows. Like American crows, they have dark, rounded eyes.
The key distinction is that a black-billed magpie has a white bottom portion. The tail of these birds is about half as long as their body.
Additionally, their wing feathers feature a bluish-green iridescence. The bills are smaller than crow’s bills.
11. Alpine Chough
Alpine choughs, sometimes known as yellow-billed choughs, may be found throughout Europe and South Asia, particularly on mountains and coastal cliffs.
Color
Alpine choughs are known for their gleaming black plumage. Their bill has a brilliant yellow color. They have a few white dots on their breasts and bellies. Their legs are bright red.
The Yellow-billed Chough is a crow-like bird that lives on mountains and cliffs in Europe, North Africa, China, Asia, and India. It has a unique black plumage and a yellow beak with large indentations towards the tip.
Length & Weight
They are little birds with a body length of 22-26 inches and a weight of around .5 kg.
Alpine choughs are members of the Corvidae family of crows. These birds, like American crows, have entirely black feathers. The feathers on the breast and belly are dull and not lustrous. The tails are also fan-shaped, similar to those of American crows.
An alpine chough differs from an American crow in that it has a yellow beak and red legs. They have curvier bills and shorter tails than American crows.
12. European Starling
Europe starlings, sometimes known as common starlings, may be found throughout most of Canada and the United States, with a strong presence in Texas and Florida.
Habitat
These birds prefer open environments, such as woodland margins, grasslands, farm fields, and savannahs. They’re also popular in city parks, lawns, and squares.
The plumage of European starlings is stunning, with green and purple iridescence. Their beak is golden and thin. Their nails are sharp, and their legs are pink. Their wings are triangular, pointed, and short. Their tails are raven-like and short.
European Starlings have a black look that resembles that of crows. Like American crows, these birds have rounder black eyes. Their bills are sharp, and their nails are pointy.
The most evident difference between European starlings and American crows is their size. While American crows are entirely black, these birds have yellow beaks and pink legs. The bills are narrower, and the tails are wedge-shaped.
13. Chihuahuan Raven
The Chihuahuan Raven belongs to the Corvidae family of crows. The Chihuahuan raven may be found as far north as Arizona and Texas, and its range extends into Mexico.
Habitat & Food
These birds like arid, open grasslands with trees and bushes, and desert scrub, where they feed insects, grains, worms, carrion (dead animals), tiny reptiles, prickly pears, eggs, and young nestlings.
Although Chihuahuan Ravens are similar to American Crows, they are significantly larger, reaching 45-50 cm (17.7-19.5′′) in length and weighing 530 grams. Their plumage is similar to that of a crow, with a blue and purple shine.
Conclusion
We have talked about various species of birds that might appear to be crows at first glance. It is pretty common to assume blackbirds as crows, but that is not the case.
We have discussed a few such birds with a close resemblance to crows. Besides, we have talked about their bodily features and major differences that might help you differentiate among these birds.
FAQ
Can Chihuahuan be seen in Mexico?
The Chihuahuan raven may be found as far north as Arizona and Texas, and its range extends into Mexico.
What is the preferred habitat of yellow-billed chough?
These birds love to reside in the mountains.
Pied Currawong are natives of which continent?
Pied Currawong is a native of Australia.
The common grackle bird is native to which continent?
The common grackle belongs to north America.
Last Updated on March 22, 2023 by Lily Aldrin
