Hundreds of thousands of geese visit UK estuaries and farmland each winter, arriving from Arctic breeding grounds. Their welfare along migration routes and at UK wintering sites is affected by disturbance, hunting and food availability.
Migratory goose welfare at UK wintering sites involves trade-offs between individual birds, flocks and farming interests. Geese disturbed from feeding sites repeatedly expend energy on flight that reduces body condition over winter. Scaring techniques used to protect agricultural crops can, if excessive, prevent geese accessing sufficient food. Hunting pressure on pink-footed geese creates fear-based changes in behaviour — birds shift to nocturnal feeding and abandon preferred habitats. International Population Management Plans coordinated by AEWA (Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds) attempt to balance conservation, welfare and farming interests for key goose populations.