Ravens are recovering across Britain after centuries of persecution but still face illegal killing on some upland estates where they are perceived as threats to gamebird and livestock interests.
Ravens are among the most cognitively complex birds in Britain, capable of planning, social manipulation, and demonstrating what researchers describe as a theory of mind. Illegal persecution of ravens involves methods including poisoning, trapping, and shooting that cause acute suffering and death. Poisoned birds may experience prolonged agonising deaths lasting hours. As long-lived pair-bonded animals, the death of one partner causes lasting disruption to the surviving bird's behavioural routines and reproductive success.