Predation is an inherent part of wild bird ecology, but human decisions that increase or decrease predation pressure create ethical obligations that require careful consideration of both prey and predator welfare.
The ethics of predator management require acknowledging that both predator and prey welfare matter. Lethal control of predators causes direct welfare harm to the controlled animals. Non-lethal approaches that exclude predators from vulnerable nesting sites reduce prey welfare impacts without predator welfare costs. Where invasive predators threaten native species, the calculus becomes more complex.