Migratory birds face growing welfare threats from habitat destruction at stopover sites, where food and rest are critical for completing their journeys.
Migratory welfare is dominated by energy: birds arrive at stopover sites in compromised condition, needing rapid refuelling to complete journeys. Loss of stopover habitat forces birds to continue migration in energetically depleted states, increasing mortality and causing what researchers describe as migratory misery — extended journeys in starvation conditions. The welfare and conservation case for protecting stopover habitat is identical, and both perspectives point toward urgent intervention.