Differences between Owl and Raven

Owl and Raven are two classes of birds that belong to the Tytonidae and Corvidae families respectively.

Owl is a large nocturnal bird. It has a round and flat face with hooked beaks, static eyes, and large ears. Its neck is flexible and can turn over 180 degrees on both sides. This allows the bird to look around and backward even with its fixed eyes. The bird cannot see color but its visual clarity is sharp. Its ears are asymmetrical but acute in discerning sounds from different dimensions. Owl is commonly seen standing in upright position. Its plumage is soft and heavy. The color varies for different species, from grey to brown to reddish brown. The plumage mostly have markings on them, camouflaging the owl amidst dense foliage. The fossils of owls are dated back to over 65.5 million years. At present, there are about 250 species in the Owl family.

Ravens are large perching birds. They are noisy and can make different sounds. They are intelligent birds with an ability to make their own tools and save useful items for the future. There are 10 species of Ravens. They have black plumage, dark legs, and long tail. The species living in western North America have white feathers on their neck, while those in the rest of North America, south Asia, Australia, and Africa have white or brown neck feathers. Ravens are like Crows in many ways. But their feathers are more ruffled, and their beak is larger and arched.

Where are Owl and Raven found?

Owls live in diverse habitats such as forests, mountains, plains, and deserts. The Snowy Owl lives in the frigid regions of North Pole. Species like Great Horned Owl and Barred Owl can be found in cities. Owls can be found in all countries of the world except Antarctica.

Ravens live in open grasslands, forests, coasts, deserts, agricultural fields, and cities. They can be found across the world except Antarctica. They are heavily populated in Canada, North America, northern Europe, and India.

What do Owl and Raven eat?

Owls are carnivorous birds. Their diet depends on food sources in their environment. Owls eat insects, rodents, crabs, snails, small birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

Ravens are omnivores and scavenging birds. They eat rodents, reptiles, eggs, small nesting birds, berries, fruits, vegetables, and human refuse.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Owl and Raven

• Both Owl and Raven eat Fish.
• Both Owl and Raven eat Frogs.
• Both Owl and Raven eat Lizards.
• Both Owl and Raven eat Snakes.
• Both Owl and Raven eat Turtles.
• Both Owl and Raven eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Owl, but not by all Raven.
• Baby Ducks are consumed by both Owland Raven.
• Mice are eaten by both Owl and Raven.

Size of Owl and Raven?

When it comes to size, The owls measure 0.4-2.3 feet in length with a wingspan of 1-6.6 feet. Elf Owl, which is the smallest in the family, is about 0.5 feet tall. Blakiston Fish Owl, the largest Owl species, is 2.3 feet tall.. Ravens are usually about 2.1 feet long and have a wingspan of four feet. Some species of Ravens may be smaller. The Thick-billed Raven is the largest among the species.

The weight of Owls varies for different species. Elf Owl weighs about 1.5 ounce, while the large North American Owl weighs about 8.8 pounds. while The average weight of Ravens is 1.5-4.4 pounds. The Thick-billed Raven weighs about 3.4 pounds.

Where do Owl and Raven nest?

Owls do not build nests. They use holes in trees, quiet places in barns and buildings, caves, natural cavities in river banks, and nests of other birds to lay their eggs. The female Owl starts incubating the eggs when the first one is laid. She lays eggs two to three days apart. Consequently, the eggs do not hatch synchronously. In the nesting season, the female develops additional feathers, called brood patch, on her belly to provide warmth during incubation. The eggs hatch 32 days after incubation. The young ones fledge when they are six to eight weeks old.

Ravens naturally make their nests on treetops or cliffs. In cities, they build their nests on top of roofs, power lines, or billboards. The nest looks like a basket with woven sticks and wires. The male helps the female by fetching the sticks and breaking them into smaller pieces. The eggs are 4.4-5.2 centimeters long and 3.1-3.6 centimeters wide. Both partners take turns to incubate the eggs, which hatch in 20-25 days. The young ones leave the nest when they are five to seven weeks old.

How long do Owl and Raven live?

The average lifespan of Owls in the wild is five to 12 years. Larger Owls may live longer, sometimes up to 25 years. The oldest Owl, which was a female Great Horned Owl, turned 50 years in 2012. She lived in captivity at the San Francisco Zoo.

The average lifespan of Ravens is 10-15 years. Among the banded birds, the longest-lived Raven has been a wild Common Raven that lived for 23 years and three months.

Are Owl or Raven migratory birds?

Not all Owl species are migratory. Some relocate to warmer regions during winters. However, some Owls remain in their territories even in winters. The Great Gray Owl and the Great Horned Owl of Canada are resident species. The Snowy Owl that lives in the North Pole migrates to Canada and USA during winters. In Europe, the Scops Owls migrates to the tip of the Sahara Desert. The Short-Eared Owl is another migratory Owl from India that travels long distances, sometimes even crossing oceans.

Ravens are not migratory but some species from the northern hemisphere may travel south during winters. During the breeding season, some species may relocate for nesting. On a daily basis, Ravens travel about 40 miles in search of food.

Do Owl and Raven fly in flocks?

A group of Owls is called a parliament. Owls are extreme loners and prefer solitary existence. They rarely flock aside the breeding season. They sometimes roost in small groups or in pairs for warmth in cold temperatures.

A group of Ravens is called unkindness or conspiracy. Ravens may live in pairs or small groups. They are known to forage in small flocks. They also roost in colonies during winter.

Are Owl or Raven protected?

Owls are protected in most countries like the USA, UK, India, Canada, and Japan. They do not enjoy protection in some countries, while in some others only the endangered species are protected.

Ravens are protected in several countries like the USA, UK, Canada Australia, and India under laws for wildlife and migratory bird protection. Some countries like France offer protection to certain species of Ravens.

Are Owl or Raven endangered?

Some species of Owls are endangered and face threat of extinction. These include Pernambuco Pygmy Owl, Siau Scops Owl, Forest Owl, Moheli Scops Owl, Congo Bay Owl, and Long-Whiskered Owlet. The population of Owls is threatened by loss of habitat, lack of food sources, hunting, and climate change.

Ravens are not endangered or threatened. They are listed as birds of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Ravens however face threats of habitat loss, poisoning, and hunting.

Can Owl and Raven fly?

Owls are known to fly without making any sound. The comb-like design on the edges of their feathers and their large wings enable them to fly noiselessly. They fly slowly, without flapping their wings too much. Some species of Owls fly at a speed of just two miles an hour, while the faster species can reach 40 miles per hour.

Ravens fly by soaring and gliding. They rarely flap their wings. The birds sometimes fly upside down to uphold their position in territorial hierarchy. The average flying speed of Ravens is 50 miles per hour. A wild Raven can fly up to 100 miles a day.

Can Owl and Raven swim?

Owls are not natural swimmers. They do not have webbed feet. However, they can manage to swim if they happen to accidentally fall in water.

Ravens are not water birds. They neither have webbed feet. Therefore, they cannot swim.

Mating patterns among Owl and Raven

Owls start mating when they are two to three years old. During the mating season, the male and female Owls perform mating dances. They also hoot mating calls that boost their bond and keep away other Owls from their territory. The male may get a prey as offering to the female to woo her. In some species, partners may engage in giggling and snapping of bills as part of mating ritual. The female may lay one to 15 eggs in a breeding season, however not all at once. It is her responsibility to lay eggs, incubate and hatch them. Once the chicks are born, the male may fetch food for them and give it to the female.

Ravens start mating when they are three to four years old. In the breeding season, the partners fly together, soaring and diving, and performing joyful aerial dances. Their mating ritual also includes several vocalizations, stroking of beaks, and grooming each other’s feathers. The female Raven lays three to seven eggs in a clutch. The partners take turns to incubate the eggs and share responsibility of raising the young ones.

When is the mating season for Owl and Raven ?

The mating season for Owls is generally spring every year. However, some species mate during winter months.

Ravens have the earliest mating season among all birds. The season occurs from January until May.

Do Owl and Raven mate for life?

Owls are devoted partners. They mate for life. They also use the same nesting site year after year.

Ravens are monogamous and mate for life. They also return to the same nesting territory every year.

How do Owl and Raven sleep?

Owls are nocturnal birds. They sleep either on trees or on the ground while standing and keeping their eyes closed. Most species are awake during the night when they hunt. They mostly sleep during the day.

Ravens sleep on large trees, cliff ledges, billboards, or windowsills of tall buildings. They sleep while standing on both legs to be able to react swiftly in case of predator attack. The birds generally roost in flocks.

Can Owl and Raven be eaten?

Humans are not known to have consumed Owls. The birds do not have much meat on them. Their taste is known to be unpalatable.

Raven meat is considered a delicacy in some parts of the world. However, modern laws do not permit killing of Ravens for meat.

Can you hunt Owl or Raven?

Owls are typically not hunted. Only in cases when they cause trouble, people hunt them or capture them and release them in the wild. Hunting or harming Owls is not allowed in many countries.

Ravens were hunted in the past for meat. Contemporary conservation laws do not allow harming or hunting of the birds. Nevertheless, in countries like the USA, permit can be obtained to kill Ravens that annoy farmers on agricultural lands and poultry farms.

Can you feed Owl or Raven?

Most countries do not permit owning or feeding of Owls. In captivity, the birds are fed rodents, chicken, meat, and worms.

Feeding Ravens in public is not encouraged. In captivity, they are fed worms, mice, eggs, meat, and fruits.