Crow vs Rook vs Raven vs Jackdaw: How to Tell Them Apart
Updated 6 October 2026
Side by side
| Feature | Carrion Crow | Rook | Raven | Jackdaw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | About 46 cm. | About 45 cm. | About 64 cm. Buzzard-sized. | About 34 cm. Pigeon-sized. |
| Key plumage | All black. Face feathered to the bill. | Black with a purple gloss. Adults have bare, greyish-white skin round the bill base. | All black. Shaggy throat feathers. | Black with a grey nape and neck sides. Pale, silvery eye. |
| Bill | Stout and black, with a curved top edge. | Longer, slimmer and more pointed. Pale at the base. | Massive and deep. | Short and stubby. |
| Structure | Flat crown. Neat, tight thigh feathers. | Peaked crown, steep forehead. Loose "baggy trousers". | Long neck, heavy head, long wings. | Compact and neat. |
| Flight | Steady, slow beats. Square-ended tail. | Looser beats. Rounded tail, wings narrow at the base. | Soars and glides like a raptor. Wedge-shaped tail. Rolls onto its back in display. | Quick, pigeon-like beats. Flocks wheel and tumble. |
| Song | No real song. | No real song. | No real song. | No real song. |
| Call | Hard "kraa", often three in a row. | Flatter, softer "kaah". | Deep, hollow "cronk". | Sharp "chack". |
| Habitat | Almost anywhere: towns, farmland, coast, moor. | Farmland with tall trees. Scarce in city centres. | Uplands, sea cliffs and quarries. Spreading into lowland farmland. | Towns, villages, parkland and cliffs. Nests in holes and chimneys. |
| When in the UK | All year. | All year. | All year. | All year. Winter visitors add to numbers. |
| UK status | Green list. About 1.1 million territories (2016). | Amber list. About 980,000 pairs (2016). Down 26% between 1995 and 2024. | Green list. About 10,000 pairs (2016) and rising. | Green list. About 1.6 million pairs (2016) and rising. |
Swipe the table sideways on a small screen.
The quickest way to tell them apart
Rule out the Jackdaw first. It is clearly smaller than the rest, and the grey shawl and pale eye show at long range. Then check for the Rook's bare, pale face. If the face is black, you have a Carrion Crow or a Raven, and size, tail and voice split those.
By sight
- Carrion Crow. Tidy and all black. The crown is flat and runs in a smooth line into the bill. Usually alone or in pairs.
- Rook. The bare face makes the bill look long and dagger-like. The crown rises steeply to a peak. On the ground, loose thigh feathers hang like shaggy shorts. Young Rooks keep a black, feathered face through their first winter, so use the crown and bill shape for those.
- Raven. Size is hard to judge on a lone bird, so use shape. In flight the tail tapers to a wedge or diamond, and the long neck and heavy bill stick out well in front.
- Jackdaw. Small, short billed and quick. The pale eye is unique among British crows.
In the north and west of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, the Carrion Crow is replaced by the grey and black Hooded Crow.
By sound
Voice is the fastest way to find a Raven. Its call is a deep, hollow "cronk" that carries a long way, and it makes you look up. The Carrion Crow gives a hard, angry "kraa", usually repeated three times. The Rook's "kaah" is flatter and more relaxed, and a rookery makes a constant chorus of it. Jackdaws give a short, high "chack", often from several birds at once.
Mixed flocks are noisy, so record a clip and run it through Sound ID if you want a second opinion.
By season and habitat
All four are resident. Rooks nest in colonies in treetops, and rookeries are busy and loud from late winter, before the leaves hide the nests. Carrion Crows nest as single pairs. Jackdaws nest in holes: chimneys, church towers, cliffs and old trees. Ravens nest very early in the year on crags, cliffs and, more and more, in tall lowland trees.
In winter, Rooks and Jackdaws feed together on fields and fly to shared roosts at dusk, sometimes in thousands.
Common mistakes
- Leaning on the old saying that a crow in a crowd is a Rook. Young Carrion Crows without territories also form flocks.
- Calling a young Rook a crow because its face is black. Check the peaked crown and pointed bill.
- Forgetting the Chough on western cliffs: red bill, red legs, and a ringing "chow".
Where to see both
Sea cliffs in the west are the best place to compare shapes in flight. At RSPB South Stack on Anglesey, Ravens, Jackdaws and Carrion Crows all use the cliffs, with Choughs as a bonus. For Rooks, look at farmland and village rookeries rather than reserves.
FAQ
What is the difference between a crow and a raven?
A Raven is much bigger, about the size of a Buzzard, with a heavier bill and shaggy throat. In flight its tail is wedge-shaped where the Carrion Crow's is square. The Raven's call is a deep croak. The crow's is a harsh "kraa".
How do I tell a rook from a crow?
Look at the face. An adult Rook has bare, greyish-white skin around the base of the bill and a peaked crown. A Carrion Crow has a fully black, feathered face and a flat crown. Rooks also nest in colonies and feed in flocks.
What is the small black bird with a grey head and pale eye?
A Jackdaw. It is the smallest of the common British crows, with a grey nape and a silvery-white eye. It often nests in chimneys and feeds with Rooks.
Log all four crows
Carrion Crow, Rook, Raven and Jackdaw are all in the Birdedex. Three are easy. Finding your own Raven takes more work.
Open the Birdedex →