West Nile Virus

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

Large Bird

Length:

45 to 41 cm (18 to 16 inches)

Wingspan:

99 cm (39 inches)

Weight:

450 g (1 lb)

Colour:

completely black

Other Characterstics:

short tail, broad wings

Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Very Large Bird

Length:

61 cm (24 inches)

Wingspan:

135 cm (53 inches)

Weight:

1200 g (2.6 lb)

Colour:

completely black

Other Characterstics:

long, narrow wings

Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica)

Fairly Large Bird

Length:

48 cm (19 inches)

Wingspan:

64 cm (25 inches)

Weight:

175 g (6 oz)

Colour:

white and black

Other Characterstics:

long, blue-colored tail

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Medium-sized Bird

Length:

28 cm (11 inches)

Wingspan:

41 cm (16 inches)

Weight:

85 g (3 oz)

Colour:

blue and gray with white and black markings

Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis)

Medium-sized Bird

Length:

29 cm (11.5 inches)

Wingspan:

46 cm (18 inches)

Weight:

70 g (2.5 oz)

Colour:

gray with white and black markings

Other Characterstics:

resembles an oversized chickadee

Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

Medium-sized Bird

Length:

29 cm (11.5 inches)

Wingspan:

47.5 cm (19 inches)

Weight:

105 g (3.7 oz)

Colour:

black head, blue body, dark bars on wings and tail

Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)

Small Bird

Length:

23 cm (9 inches)

Wingspan:

36 cm (14 inches)

Weight:

60 g (2.1 oz)

Colour:

Completely black

Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)

Small Bird

Length:

23 cm (9 inches)

Wingspan:

39 cm (15.5 inches)

Weight:

63 g (2.2 oz)

Colour:

Completely black

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Small Bird

Length:

22 cm (8.75 inches)

Wingspan:

33 cm (13 inches)

Weight:

52 g (1.8 oz)

Colour:

completely black except for red and yellow wing patches

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)

Small Bird

Length:

24 cm (9.5 inches)

Wingspan:

38 cm (15 inches)

Weight:

65 g (2.3 oz)

Colour:

black body with yellow head and white markings on wings

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Small Bird

Length:

19 cm (7.5 inches)

Wingspan:

30 cm (12 inches)

Weight:

44 g (1.5 oz)

Colour:

Male - black body with brown head; Female - completely brown

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

Medium-sized Bird

Length:

28 to 34 cm (11 to 13.5 inches)

Colour:

completely black with bluish sheen to feathers

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Small Bird

Length:

22 cm (8.5 inches)

Wingspan:

41 cm (16 inches)

Weight:

82 g (2.9 oz)

Colour:

black to brown body with white markings

Relative Sizes of Birds

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This picture is to help in identification of bird species by providing a comparison of size. The Common Robin would fit between the Starling and the Crow.

From left to right: Starling (small), Crow (large), Raven (very large)