Counting Corvids

​Corvids (any bird belonging to the family Corvidae), are known for their intelligence and adaptability. You may be more familiar with specific species names like crow, raven, magpie, jay, nutcracker, etc.. This post will focus on crows and ravens. Here in Canada we see some variety of these birds nearly everywhere. If you don’t know how to tell one from other specifically, you might mistake one for the other. Here are some identifying differences*.
Crows are smaller, have fan shaped tails, slimmer beaks, and smoother/flatter feathers around the throat. They make a harsher higher pitched caw and often travel in larger groups, called “murders”.
Ravens are larger, have larger thicker beaks, a wedge-shaped tail that comes to a point, and a rougher looking patch of feathers at the neck referred to as “hackles”. They produce a deeper and more resonating croak-like sound and generally travel alone or in mated pairs, but also travel in larger groups, called an “unkindness”, when they are young (before bonding with a mate) or much older for feeding or roosting purposes (especially in winter).
Crows and ravens have been associated with many gods and goddesses across many pantheons, including, but not limited to, Odin (Norse), The Morrigan (Celtic), and Mahakala (Buddhist). They have been described as messengers, tricksters, evil spirits, omens (good or bad), and even a form certain deities take. They are often sited as omens of death (they are carrion birds after all), and as one of the birds that does cross the spiritual veil for various purposes. I think this gives them a somewhat bad reputation, however, this is not surprising since people tend to fear death, and so too anything that is associated with it.
Regardless of whether a culture saw them as more positive or negative, it is clear that many cultures respected them; and rightly so. Both crows and ravens are highly intelligent. They can solve complex puzzles, use tools, have pre-planning abilities, and even engage in social manipulation and misdirection. They also have excellent facial recognition skills and remember those who do right or wrong by them. They can also hold a grudge. Another amazing fact is that they can learn to speak human words. This is called vocal mimicry, which also extends to other sounds like other bird calls and even mechanical noises. While their range might not be as large as a parrot’s, that is still very impressive!
Crows and ravens can also appear as spirit animals, guides, and omens to us when we need them. According to Steven D Farmer, Ph.D. in his book Animal Spirit Guides both birds are represented slightly different as on omen or a power animal, and when and why to call on them.
Crows are more about manifestation, big changes, and speaking up for oneself. If it is our power animal, you are likely to be resourceful, highly social, guided more by Spirit and personal integrity, and will speak up when something doesn’t mesh with spiritual laws. You can call on them if you feel someone is trying to trick you, need help with significant changes, or need support for personal development or with manifesting.
Ravens have a more magical/spiritual correspondence. They ask you to pay more attention to dreams, visions, and synchronicities. If they are your power animal you are likely to prefer solitude, it may seem like you always know what to do as you are quite adaptable and feel able to shape-shift or disguise yourself to fit any situation. You may also be a healer, which people just seem to “sense” that about you. It could also mean that you may be susceptible to be derailed from your path by personal shadows, and so you must stay personally aware to avoid this. You can call on them to find clarity regarding intentions for tasks, relationships, or your spiritual path in order to manifest it, to reclaim lost innocence/joy and reclaim the “magic” in your life, or as messengers to send healing energy or prayers to sick loved ones.
You may have heard the popular nursery rhyme called “One For Sorrow” that is often associated with crows (but I believe was originally about magpies):
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told.
     Eight for a wish,
Nine for a kiss,
Ten a surprise you should be careful not to miss,
Eleven for health,
Twelve for wealth,
                                                            Thirteen beware it's the devil himself.**
This extended version was published in 1846. The first recorded version from 1778 was only the first four lines.
There is so much more that I could talk about with these fascinating creatures, but I will leave that up to you to discover. They are deeply rooted in the spirituality of many cultures, and I feel blessed to have them be so prevalent around my home (I hear them every morning outside my window). I have long been fascinated by them, and I hope you are too. They do tend to get a bad rap as omens of ill repute, but I prefer to think better of them. I have heard many stories of people befriending crows or ravens and being given little gifts, and of those who have slighted them and been punished by them for it. Personally, I would love to befriend one, but that is me.
So how do you feel about crows and ravens? Do you bid them good day when you see them? Do you offer them a bite of your food? Would you talk to one? Do you dislike them, or simply prefer to ignore them? Do you feel any differently about them now? I would love to know.
 
 
*There are more differences, but these are some good identifiers for identifying them on the go.
** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_for_Sorrow_(nursery_rhyme)