What bird family includes crows, ravens, magpies, and jays?

Corvidae is the bird family that includes crows, ravens, magpies and jays.

Corvidae is a widespread family of oscine passerines, commonly called the crow family. It also includes rooks, jackdaws, choughs, treepies, nutcrackers and ground jays. The genus Corvus alone contains crows, ravens, rooks and jackdaws and makes up more than a third of the family.

Corvids are noted for complex behaviour. Eurasian magpies have shown mirror self-recognition in experiments, while crows and rooks have demonstrated tool use and problem-solving abilities. Many species are omnivorous, eating insects, fruit, seeds, small animals and carrion.

The family name does not mean that every black bird is a corvid. Starlings, for example, belong to Sturnidae, while falcons belong to Falconidae and ducks to Anatidae. Another subtle point is that “jay” and “magpie” are common names applied to lineages that are not always close relatives within the family.