American Crow vs Northern Gannet
Corvus brachyrhynchos compared with Morus bassanus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Crow | Northern Gannet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Corvus brachyrhynchos | Morus bassanus |
| Order | Passeriformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Corvidae | Sulidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 45.0 cm (17.7 in) | 93.0 cm (36.6 in) |
| Wingspan | 99.0 cm (39.0 in) | 180.0 cm (70.9 in) |
| Weight | 450.0 g (15.87 oz) | 3000.0 g (105.82 oz) |
| Diet | Highly omnivorous — insects, earthworms, seeds, fruit, eggs, nestlings, carrion, and human food waste. Among … | Shoaling fish, especially mackerel, herring, and capelin. Plunge-dives from heights of 30 meters at speeds … |
| Clutch Size | 3-7 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
American Crow
Extremely adaptable — found in farmland, open woodland, suburban neighborhoods, parking lots, and urban parks.
Northern Gannet
Open ocean and coastal waters. Breeds in dense colonies on steep rocky islands and sea stacks.
Song & Call Comparison
American Crow
Classic 'caw-caw-caw' repeated in series. Family groups use distinct dialects. Also gives rattling, knocking, and a short 'cah' flight call. Highly social and vocal.
Northern Gannet
Loud, harsh 'urrah-urrah' grunting and croaking at breeding colonies on sea stacks. Also gives a softer 'karrr' in flight. Large colonies are extremely noisy during the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Crow
North America from southern Canada through the United States to northern Mexico.
Northern Gannet
North Atlantic, breeding from Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence to Norway, Iceland, and Britain. Winters at sea south to the tropics.
Conservation Status
American Crow
Northern Gannet
How to Tell Them Apart
American Crow
All black with a slight glossy sheen. Squared-off tail and smooth throat distinguish it from the common raven.
Straight, sturdy black bill smaller than a raven's
Northern Gannet
Brilliant white body with black wingtips and a golden-yellow wash on the head and nape. Blue-grey bill with dark lines and pale blue eye-ring.
Long, straight, pointed, pale blue-grey bill with serrated edges
About These Birds
American Crow
The American crow is one of North America's most familiar and intelligent birds. Research has shown they can recognize individual human faces and communicate perceived threats to other crows. They form large winter roosts of up to hundreds of thousands of individuals in some cities.
Northern Gannet
The northern gannet is a spectacular plunge-diver, folding its two-meter wingspan into an arrow shape to hit the water at up to 100 km/h. Air sacs under the skin and a reinforced skull protect it from the impact. Bass Rock in Scotland hosts over 150,000 gannets, the largest single colony of any seabird in the world.