I find that grackles fly very different. They fly as if their tail is too heavy for them, so they fly with their tail noticeably lower than their head, whereas crows fly more like a raptor, flat and straight.

I find another difference is their behavior. Other black colored birds are less observant.

I noticed that a crow's feathers seem to be really dark black whereas some of the other birds have an iridescent sheen to their feathers.  Like other mentioned, I too noticed the black eye.  I did get tricked one time though relying on this feature!

Where I live I believe we only have crows and ravens; it can be hard to tell them apart in flight. I am not sure if this is correct, but if I see a pair, I assume they are ravens and if there are more than two, then I assume they are crows. I also listen to the sounds they make to determine which is which.

I live in Alaska and Minnesota, have both, confident in ID. However, had not been as aware of the grackle's eyes before!

Yup I mainly look for the shape of the bill and the shape of the tail.

confident I can identify the crow.

When I started this segment of the course and looked at the line up of other blackbirds, I realized just how much I knew because several are frequently sighted where I live in Northern New York.  I have to focus real closely when the birds are in flight, however.  A still shot is rather safe to look at and then make a decision.  Live action crows can be another story.  But I keep trying.  It's getting better!

I did practice many times using the identification quizzes.  Sometimes, the beaks were what help me id the crow or raven. I have seen enough red-winged blackbirds, grackles, and cowbirds it is not too difficult to distinguish between them.  But now that I have stated this I'll be eating "crow."

I have terrible time telling ravens and crows apart in flight.

Size and markings especially. Crows and Ravens have dark eyes. Grackles have longer thinner legs and have a peculiar " head bob" as they walk. Also just by listening to the birds calls.

Look at the eyes. Crows eyes are dark.

I found it easy to distinguish a crow from grackle, red wing blackbird and cow bird - eyes and colors - but the tail still confuses me, as I look for the round V’s. the sharp tail feathers and find I'm often wrong,

Not additional;  I look mainly at the beak because I've missed a couple looking at the tail.  But, I've missed a couple in this quiz, looking at the beak as well!  Sigh.  I believe, however, that I've learned a great deal thus far and I'm so excited about it!  I've even engaged my husband who's not as interested on the subject as I am, and he answered correctly about those snakes!  I live in Southern California and I'm very familiar with our beautiful crows; they 've fascinated me for a long time.   In searching for more information on the internet about crows, a few years ago, I came upon a gentleman's comment, which began: "well, of course you've read the book, 'The Tarantula in My Purse', and that's why you are on this site..", he says.  No, I thought, but I will definitely look into the book.  I bought it immediately, and that's when my love affair with these beautiful and intelligent creatures began.  I've shared this sweet little book with so many friends, that I never got it back from whoever the last such friend was!   Can't wait to continue my education with you!!  Thank you!

I live in Worcester County Massachusetts. I frequently see common grackles, redwing blackbirds, brown headed cowbirds, and American crows in my neighborhood. We've got a ton of local birds! I've very rarely see ravens here, and always in the western part of the state, though I saw many ravens when I visited the West Coast. I'm trying to ID a mystery blackbird I've spotted the last two summers. They look just like crows, but smaller--about the size of a mockingbird, with tails the same shape and proportion as an American crow and beaks similar to a crow, but just slightly smaller in proportion to the head. Their vocalizations are softer and less strident than an American crow's but deeper than most songbirds their size. More of a "WUH" than a "CAW." They've always shown up in small groups. I've never seen one alone. They are not irridescent like a grackle or raven, they're a plain matte black, and have no colored patches. Their heads are the same black as their bodies. They must be migrating when I've seen them, because they're uncommon sightings, always during summer. I don't recall ever seeing them before last year. I thought perhaps fish crow, but they're not known to come this far north and inland. Though with climate change, who knows? Our hardiness zone has changed over the years. Can some flocks of crows be small and fairly quiet? Unfortunately, I don't have a good zoom lens and haven't gotten close enough to catch good photos or videos. Would love to hear if anyone has thoughts or has seen these same blackbirds in the region!

Feel very confident about id of the american crow- been feeding a family for about 10 years now- haven’t seen too many Ravens here in the NW hill of Ct

I am apparently very good at identifying crows from ravens if they are right next to each other, are completely still, and I can put my face 6 inches away from them. I think I am good at telling them apart in the field as well, but with no one to correct me, how would I know if I were mistaken?  I think the voices of crows and ravens are very distinctive, as are the tails if they are flying overhead.

I see Crows, Common Grackles, Boat-tailed Grackles,  and Red-winged Blackbirds regularly in my yard and when I am in Florida. I recently got a trip to Russia and saw Rooks, Hooded Crows and Eurasian Blackbirds but I am still waiting to see my first Raven. Given my familiarity with these others I am pretty confident that a Raven will stick out from the crowd.

One tip that I have read about and is helpful to me is that ravens will occasionally soar in flight whereas crows never do that. This only helps if the bird is flying, of course. I also look for that wedge-shaped tail in the raven for confirmation.

I observe ravens in Iceland (work there) where there the only corvid is the raven. So it's easy for me there - but here in NYC and in MA where I am a residet, I have trouble. I have spotted ravens in the city, and they are huge - I compare them with hawks for size, as they are usually about the same distance away as a hawk (far), fly in pairs, land on top of high buildings, and I've even been able to catch the "wedge-shaped" tail in a photo. There are a lot of crows in NYC and at the Cape (Cod/MA) common crows and fish crows. They are noisy and in small flocks, rarely alone. The ravens, if they call, are distinctive in their croak.

Those eyes on the grackle make it very easy to distinguish a grackle from a crow! I feel pretty good about distinguishing a raven from a crow, too, as long as I am close enough to eyeball its size! Crows are so gorgeous, and I'm not just saying that because they are in my last name! :D

The eyes and beak help me identify a crow. The Wings and tails in flight still confuses me.

Crows have dark/black eyes. Some of the other birds with which the crow is sometimes confused have yellow/light brown eyes.

Fairly confident

Yes appears to be many different things that help you distinguish the difference . Size ,color of eyes  colors on body and tail feathers / shape  beaks