Common Raven vs Great Tit
Corvus corax compared with Parus major
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Raven | Great Tit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Corvus corax | Parus major |
| Order | Passeriformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Corvidae | Paridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 63.0 cm (24.8 in) | 14.0 cm (5.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) | 24.0 cm (9.4 in) |
| Weight | 1200.0 g (42.33 oz) | 18.0 g (0.63 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous and opportunistic — carrion, small animals, insects, eggs, grain, fruit, and human refuse. Among … | Insects and spiders in summer, seeds and nuts in winter. A frequent and dominant visitor … |
| Clutch Size | 1-8 | 3-18 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Common Raven
Diverse habitats from Arctic tundra to deserts, mountains, forests, and coastlines. Avoids dense urban areas but thrives near human activity.
Great Tit
Deciduous and mixed woodland, parks, gardens, and hedgerows. Readily uses nest boxes. Highly adaptable to human environments.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Raven
Highly varied: deep resonant 'kraa-kraa-kraa', hollow 'tok-tok', liquid 'klonk', and wing-whooshing. Among the most intelligent corvid callers; uses calls contextually in groups.
Great Tit
A repetitive, teacher-teacher 'tee-cher, tee-cher, tee-cher'. Also gives ringing 'pink-pink' alarm. Highly versatile singer; over 40 song variants recorded from a single male.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Raven
Holarctic distribution across North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The most widely distributed corvid.
Great Tit
Widespread across Europe and Asia from Britain to Japan, and south to North Africa and Southeast Asia.
Conservation Status
Common Raven
Great Tit
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Raven
All black with a glossy purplish-blue iridescent sheen. Shaggy throat hackles, long wedge-shaped tail, and large robust build distinguish it from crows.
Large, powerful, curved black bill
Great Tit
Blue-black head with white cheeks. Olive-green back, yellow underparts with a broad black central stripe. White wing bar and blue-grey tail.
Short, stout, dark bill
About These Birds
Common Raven
The common raven is among the most intelligent birds, demonstrating tool use, future planning, and social manipulation in scientific studies. In many cultures, ravens feature prominently in mythology as creators, tricksters, or messengers. Their complex vocalizations include over 30 distinct calls.
Great Tit
The great tit is the largest European tit and one of the most studied wild birds in the world. Research at Wytham Woods in Oxford has monitored great tit populations since the 1940s, contributing enormously to ecology and evolution. These innovative birds famously learned to open milk bottle tops in 20th-century Britain.