Wildlife

Coastal and Estuarine Bird Welfare

Coastal and estuarine birds including waders and wildfowl face welfare threats from disturbance, sea level rise, and pollution affecting their mudflat feeding grounds.

Key Facts

Estuarine mudflats support millions of overwintering birds in the UK
Dunlin, knot, and redshank depend on invertebrate-rich mud for winter food
Disturbance during low tide forces birds to waste vital energy reserves
Climate change is reducing suitable mudflat area through sea level rise
Brent geese rely on eel grass beds that are affected by wasting disease

Welfare Considerations

Individual birds disturbed from feeding grounds during cold weather expend energy they cannot easily replace, compromising condition and survival. Chronic disturbance of estuary feeding areas reduces the body condition of thousands of birds. Managed access to key feeding areas during peak winter periods, combined with estuary protection from development, protects the welfare of individual birds and population viability.

What You Can Do

Keep dogs under control near estuary feeding areas in winter
Use designated paths and viewpoints at managed nature reserves
Support estuarine habitat protection and creation
Donate to coastal reserves and monitoring programmes
Advocate for protected area designations for key estuarine habitats