All the Corvus are bright, but as Barry Lopez observed in Desert Notes, the corax (ravens) are by nature solitary (or with one mate) while the crows are group birds. Makes all the difference. The hooked bill and wedge tail sets them apart from their cousins.

Spent a memorable afternoon with a pair of nesting Ravens one spring in the slickrock county of Utah. Nice couple with cute kids. By sitting and watching I learned that their language is complex and specific. Their behavior is intelligent and aware. One of them gave me a feather.

Been more than a decade now but they might just remember me were I to hang out there again. They can live for decades in captivity; and while some might believe they live longer in a cage, I beg to differ.