I frequently see similar battles here on the Westside. I also see similar battles in which mocking birds are attacking crows. (A birder friend once told me that our large black birds are crows, not ravens. I still can't tell the difference.)
Absolute easiest way to distinguish Raven from Crow is to see them sitting in profile. The Raven has ruffled neck feathers and much more substanial beak than a Crow. Ravens croak, Crows caw. Also: A Raven is as large as a Red-tailed hawk.
That's a crow. There are a few ravens in the Santa Ynez Valley, but you'll be hard pressed to see any ravens in the SB area. Crows have a shorter wingspan and shorter beak. Crows have wedge shaped tails, ravens have more angled wings, a larger wingspan, larger beak, and a more 'diamond' shaped tail. Crows have 5 noticeable 'fingers' of distinct wing feathers in profile, ravens have 4. Their voices are very distinctively different as well. Ravens are usually only seen in pairs, and crows, as we all know, fly in larger numbers.
Lots of birds eat other birds' eggs. Crows tend to eat bird young, which is why, at this time of year, you will see Mockingbirds relentlessly harassing Crows.
Many states have a bounty for each crow killed. As others have said here, an easy meal to a crow is another bird species eggs and young. They have decimated many desirable species in those states, in including game birds, which is why they are undesirable and have that bounty "on their beaks".
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Jun 05, 2017 04:25 PMI'm rooting for the hawk...
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Jun 05, 2017 05:52 PMIt's tough out there. That crow gets the same treatment from the Mockingbirds!
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Jun 05, 2017 05:58 PMI forgot to mention: That is a great shot!
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Jun 05, 2017 06:39 PMSo many things come together to make this a truly awesome shot. Nice.
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Jun 05, 2017 07:20 PMIt's more likely a raven.
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Jun 06, 2017 08:56 AMI frequently see similar battles here on the Westside. I also see similar battles in which mocking birds are attacking crows. (A birder friend once told me that our large black birds are crows, not ravens. I still can't tell the difference.)
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Jun 14, 2020 10:43 PMAbsolute easiest way to distinguish Raven from Crow is to see them sitting in profile. The Raven has ruffled neck feathers and much more substanial beak than a Crow. Ravens croak, Crows caw. Also: A Raven is as large as a Red-tailed hawk.
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Jun 06, 2017 12:01 PMThat's a crow. There are a few ravens in the Santa Ynez Valley, but you'll be hard pressed to see any ravens in the SB area. Crows have a shorter wingspan and shorter beak. Crows have wedge shaped tails, ravens have more angled wings, a larger wingspan, larger beak, and a more 'diamond' shaped tail. Crows have 5 noticeable 'fingers' of distinct wing feathers in profile, ravens have 4. Their voices are very distinctively different as well. Ravens are usually only seen in pairs, and crows, as we all know, fly in larger numbers.
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Jun 14, 2020 08:10 PMThere’s a reason why all the birds do t like crows. They’re smart & they prey on the other birds eggs.
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Jun 14, 2020 10:47 PMLots of birds eat other birds' eggs. Crows tend to eat bird young, which is why, at this time of year, you will see Mockingbirds relentlessly harassing Crows.
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Jun 15, 2020 07:59 AMMany states have a bounty for each crow killed. As others have said here, an easy meal to a crow is another bird species eggs and young. They have decimated many desirable species in those states, in including game birds, which is why they are undesirable and have that bounty "on their beaks".