Birds of prey face unique welfare threats including illegal persecution, lead poisoning from ammunition, and collision with wind turbines. Their charisma belies the severity of their situation.
Lead poisoning in raptors causes progressive neurological damage — birds become unable to fly, feed, or coordinate movement, and die slowly over days to weeks. Persecuted raptors are killed by poisoned baits (often causing seizures), shooting (causing injury and death), and leg-hold traps (causing limb damage and prolonged stress). Wind turbine strikes cause traumatic impact deaths. Electrocution on poorly insulated power lines is a leading cause of eagle mortality in some regions. Each of these deaths involves significant suffering in animals at the top of their ecological hierarchy, with population-level consequences for entire ecosystems.