One important aspect of crow behavior is their congregation into huge flocks in fall and winter. Crows often post a sentinel to watch for danger. The common crow, Covus brachychynchos, is one of America's best known birds. No other bird should be confused with the crow, with one exception. Ravens can be distinguished from crows by their larger size, call, wedge-shaped tail and flight pattern which commonly includes soaring or gliding.
Crows have a frequent, steady wing beat with little or no gliding.
The white-necked ravens nest in trees or windmills on the high plains prairie of western Kansas. Their nests are often constructed with wire and a few twigs. The raven bends wire into the shape of a nest, often using large diameter wire. The range of the white-necked raven covers the southwestern Great Plains, including portions of Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. The range of the crow is more widely distributed over much of North America.