Wildlife

Wild Migratory Shorebird Stopover Habitat Loss

Migratory shorebirds depend on specific coastal stopover sites that provide invertebrate prey for refueling, and loss of these sites causes mass mortality.

Key Facts

Red knots migrate 15,000km from Arctic to Tierra del Fuego annually
Key stopover sites like Delaware Bay provide horseshoe crab eggs essential for refueling
Loss of single key stopover sites has caused population collapses in some species
Climate change is disrupting the timing of food availability at stopovers

Welfare Considerations

Shorebird stopover habitat loss forces birds to continue migration while undernourished, increasing exhaustion, mortality, and predator vulnerability. Mass mortality events at degraded stopovers illustrate the welfare stakes of habitat protection for migratory animals.

What You Can Do

Support horseshoe crab harvest restrictions that protect shorebird food supply
Donate to shorebird stopover habitat protection organizations
Participate in shorebird monitoring programs at key coastal sites
Advocate for coastal habitat protection in planning decisions