Ravens and Crows - Symbolism, Differences, Good and Bad Luck

Years ago in high school, I memorized most of Edgar Allen Poe's poem, The Raven. I never gave much thought to "Nevermore" and the superstitions regarding this animal until the last couple of years.

Then, the raven seemed to become ubiquitous. For some reason, I began to notice it a lot more and its behavior. I am not sure why. Groups of ravens seemed to regularly land in my yard. I had even completed a painting as an homage to it because I like studying about Native American peoples. Being the curious literary type, I began to research more about the history, symbolism and superstitions surrounding this creature.

When I began my research, I had no idea that ravens and crows were different. (I admit my lack of scientific prowess here.) I only knew that I preferred to call these black birds ravens and not crows, thinking they were one and the same.

They're not.

The crow, especially the American Crow, is a common bird found throughout North America. It is smaller than the raven and you see it more around cities. They are rather opportunistic birds, feeding off anything and everything they can find that is edible.

Because of their ability to adapt, they are often regarded as quite intelligent. They have a different bird call than the call of the raven (click the links to hear their sounds) and have a rounded tail. This bird inhabits North America, although other subspecies inhabit other parts of the world.

The raven on the other hand is a larger bird, often rivaling the size of a hawk. The other morning, a flock of about seven of them were scavenging in my yard. While I watched from the window, I noted their immensity of size. I knew they were ravens and not crows not only because of their size, but because they like to hang out in wilder areas and woodlands. I definitely do not live near a city and my house is surrounded by national forest.

Raven feathers have a more pointy end than do crows' feathers. They sometimes look quite "ruffly" when they puff up their feathers, commonly called a "ruff". These birds are also found throughout the northern hemisphere.

Native Americans had great respect for this bird. Several southwestern tribes heralded the Raven as the bringer of light that escaped from the darkness of the cosmos. Thus, they associate this bird with creation because it brought light where there was darkness. Other tribes looked upon this bird as a trickster or even a shape-shifter because of its high intelligence and ability to adapt to different situations.

Even today Native Americans say they are good signs and counter the effects of bad spirits, such as the owl. They are a sign that danger has passed and will bring good luck.

Because they fly high toward the heavens, they can take prayers from the people to the heavens and, in turn, bring back messages from the spiritual realm.

"Samhain" was when the Celts celebrated their new year, which survives to this day as Halloween. As part of that celebration, the goddess Morrigan presides over the celebration bestowing those born on this date with oracular and visionary traits. Morrigan assumes the shape of a raven during the celebrations.

As such, the bird was seen as a seer and had special visionary powers.

Many in Western cultures associate the raven (or the crow) with bad luck and death. It swooped down onto military battlefields, picking at the dead. But these birds were smart enough to find food wherever and whenever they could, even if the circumstances were quite morbid.

Dark-colored animals - even people with "dark attributes - have often been perceived as threatening or harboring superstition. Think about how Westerners view black cats or darkly-clad witches or even the villain in many a Hollywood movie: Frankenstein, Dracula, and Voldemort to name a few. So, it seems it wouldn't be a far stretch to include the dark-colored raven among these dubious ranks.

Debunking the Myths

If you look past the nefarious history of the raven, they are actually pretty remarkable birds.

Did you know that they can be trained to speak? This is why they're often portrayed as seers.

The raven call, the "cras, cras," translates as tomorrow in the dead language Latin. However, it's not hard to imagine that someone who spoke Latin would make the connection that perhaps this bird was constantly referring to the future.

Still, some cultures associated this bird with light. I have already mentioned certain Native American tribes that revered this animal as a bringer of light. But also in ancient Greek culture, the gods Athena (a goddess of wisdom and watchfulness) and Apollo (the sun deity) kept ravens. These gods turned the birds black when they couldn't keep secrets; they originally had white feathers, according to lore.

Thus, after reading so much on these beautiful birds, they have earned my respect.

When I see one, I think about their "seer" abilities and good luck. Indeed, when they landed in my yard yesterday, I found out shortly after that one of my hubs is in the running for a Hubnugget. What an honor! The other day when they landed in my yard, I immediately felt gratitude for having made it through 2011, on my way to 2012. Whether they had anything to do with luck is really anyone's guess, but I always smile when I come across these avian creatures now.

A couple years ago, when my fascination with ravens was budding, I made an 18' x 24' painting entitled Raven. You can click over to the website if you want, but the price for it is quite high these days. If you read my hub Selling Art at High Prices, you'll know why. Of course, I'm willing to negotiate.

Southwest Style: Animal Symbolism

Animal Symbolism and Meanings - A to C (The part about the "crow" is interesting.)

Totem Animals and Their Symbolism

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

Raven - First Nations Trickster

What's the Difference Between a Crow and a Raven?

The Crow and the Kitten - A Love Story about Friends