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We spotted some large, ominous black birds the other day and the is it a rook or a crow and a debate ensued. This was further complicated by someone mentioning ravens.
It can be quite difficult to tell them apart, especially from a distance. Often the easiest way to tell them apart is by their habitat and behaviour. Ravens are unusual as they are found only around the western parts of the UK inhabiting cliffy, rocky habitats mostly along coastlines.
Unlike ravens, crows and rooks can be spotted almost everywhere from city centres to parks and gardens and in upland moorlands, woodlands and sea shores.
In contrast to the large rook groups, crows and ravens are often seen on their own or in pairs. If you see lots of crows together they are probably rooks, and if you see a rook alone it is probably a crow.
Rooks
Rooks are larger than crows. They have a thinner, paler beak and lighter feathers around their greyish white faces. Their feathers have a purplish iridescent sheen to them.
Rooks live together in large groups. In the countryside they can often be seen in their big nests in the tops of trees. As the sun goes down the rooks fly around their Rookery making loads of noise.
Ravens
It's pretty hard to tell a raven from a crow at a distance, as they are similar apart from their size. Ravens are larger than crows, with a large and strong bill and long wings. They can be distinguished by their tail shapes when in flight; ravens have a diamond-shaped tail whereas the crow's tail is rounded.
Crows
The crow is similarly all black but significantly smaller than a raven. Crows make up a third of the species in the Corvidae family. Crows are fairly solitary, often being spotted alone or in pairs. The collective name for a group of crows is a 'flock' or a 'murder'.
Crows are considered to be very intelligent animals, capable of not only tool use but also tool construction.
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