Larsen traps and other capture methods used to control corvids as agricultural pests raise welfare concerns about non-target capture and the psychological harm of social isolation.
Decoy birds in Larsen traps must be kept in appropriate conditions with food, water, and shelter, but the trap mechanism itself causes distress to both captured birds and the decoy confined in proximity to frantic captives. Corvids show high cortisol responses to capture and confinement, indicating significant acute stress. Given that corvid population management has limited evidence for the agricultural benefits claimed, and effective non-lethal alternatives exist, the welfare cost of lethal corvid control is difficult to justify scientifically.