
Why Are They Called Crows and Ravens?
From Wildly Curious by Katy Reiss & Laura Fawks Lapole
April 21, 2026 · 11 min
About this episode
Laura explores the origins behind the names of crows and ravens in this mini episode.
Send us Fan Mail Why are crows called crows… and ravens called ravens? In this mini episode of the Bird Name Game series from Wildly Curious, Laura explores the surprisingly simple—and fascinating—origins behind the names of two of the most intelligent and culturally iconic birds in the world: crows and ravens. These birds are often associated with mystery, mythology, and even death—but their names didn’t come from legend. They came from something much simpler: the sounds they make. -Why the ...
People in this episode
Host: Laura
Topics covered
- crows
- ravens
- bird names
- etymology
- mythology
- animal intelligence
Keywords
- crows
- ravens
- bird names
- etymology
- animal intelligence
- mythology
- sounds
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Wildly Curious
Books & works: Bird Name Game
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