Numerous myths and legends across the world have suggested that corvids are intelligent. However, it is only in the last two decades that their cognition has become the subject of serious scientific investigation. Here I review what we currently know about the temporal, social, and physical cognition of this group. I argue that, while the work to date establishes corvids as one of the most intelligent groups of animals on the planet, the real scientific potential of the Corvidae has yet to be realized. However, a novel ‘signature‐testing’ experimental approach is required if we want to unlock this group's promise and gain insights into the evolution of human and animal minds. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Conflict of interest: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.