Crows, ravens, and other corvids possess remarkable cognitive abilities including tool use, planning, and social intelligence. These capacities have important implications for how we understand and protect their welfare.
High cognitive capacity in corvids means they have correspondingly rich inner lives — with the ability to plan, remember, and anticipate comes the ability to experience prolonged frustration, fear, and grief-like states. Captive corvids in barren environments show severe boredom and abnormal behaviour. Wild corvids face threats from poisoning (commonly targeted as agricultural pests), shooting, and habitat loss. Their social intelligence means that social isolation is particularly damaging. These animals deserve welfare consideration commensurate with their cognitive sophistication.