What is it like to be a crow?

Corvids, such as crows or ravens, have been an ongoing source of public fascination. They are also common subjects of scientific attention, due to their advanced cognitive abilities, but until recently little attention has been paid to the subjective nature of their inner lives. Here, I talk about some of our recent work, using a five-dimensional framework for animal consciousness to investigate the potential nature of corvid minds, and how it can inform ethical interactions with these birds.
Dr Heather Browning is a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Southampton. She specialises in animal sentience and welfare. Prior to her current position, she worked as part of the Foundations of Animal Sentience project at the London School of Economics, producing a report for DEFRA reviewing the evidence of sentience in cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans that led to an amendment of the UK's Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act to include their protection. Alongside her academic career, Dr. Browning has also worked as a zookeeper and animal welfare officer.