Migratory geese face welfare challenges throughout their annual cycle from habitat loss, hunting pressure, and human-goose conflict.
Migratory geese face a complex welfare landscape across their annual cycle. Lead poisoning from spent hunting shot causes a slow, progressive deterioration of nervous system function in affected birds. Urban conflict management through egg addling and culling affects breeding populations. Hunting mortality along flyways can represent significant annual losses to some populations. The shift toward steel and bismuth shot for waterfowl hunting in many countries has reduced but not eliminated lead poisoning risk.