By far the easiest way to tell a crow from a raven is by the sound they make. 

Crows caw and ravens have more of a croaking sound. But that's a great simplification of their complicated call sets.

This page contains a good selection of crow and raven calls to help you set them apart. You can find many more videos on my YOUTUBE CHANNEL >

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CROW VOCALIZATIONS

ALARM CALL

This is probably the most common corvid you'll hear in a city. This example is Marvin expressing his displeasure at a raccoon coming too close to he and Mavis's nest.

CROW "RATTLE" CALL

This is another crow call, less often heard because it's a softer, more intimate form of crow-munication.

UNUSUAL CROW CALLS

Mostly during breeding season, adult crows can be heard making unusual calls, often quite specific to individual crows. This starts at the beginning of nesting season and continues until the fledglings have been guided through their first summer. 

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RAVEN VOCALIZATIONS

RAVEN LOCATION CALL

This seems to be the most common raven call I hear, both in the city and in the mountains. It seems to be used to keep in touch with their mate, sometimes across quite large distances. In the video below you can also hear crows in the background. 

 RAVEN KNOCKING CALL

This beautiful sound is more like the crow's rattle call - more subtle and melodic - almost like water dripping or a hollow bamboo tube being tapped.

See also: When The Raven Knocks

RAVEN RECITATION

In this clip a raven seems to be performing a jazz concert of different subtle sounds — an example of how complex corvid language can be.

RAVEN COUPLE MAKING AFFECTIONATE/CHATTING SOUNDS

The quiet domestic banter between established couples is, perhaps, my favourite of all raven sounds.

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