Crows, ravens, and other corvids are among the most intelligent birds known to science. Urban populations face unique welfare challenges, while culling programs often target these animals without adequate justification.
Corvid culling programs cause significant suffering to highly intelligent, socially complex animals. Shooting and trapping can result in non-lethal injuries that cause prolonged pain. Nest destruction kills developing chicks and causes documented distress in parent birds. General licenses permitting corvid killing in many countries are often used without evidence of actual damage, and alternatives — including non-lethal deterrents — are rarely tried first. The cognitive complexity of corvids, now well-established by science, warrants stronger welfare protections and a higher bar for lethal control.