Wild Migratory Bird Welfare: Threats Along Flyways

Migratory birds face threats at every stage of their journeys. Understanding these threats helps identify the most effective interventions to reduce suffering along migration routes.

Key Facts

Approximately 4,000 of the world's 10,000+ bird species are migratory, traveling hundreds to tens of thousands of kilometers
An estimated 25 million birds are illegally killed annually in the Mediterranean region alone during migration
Artificial light at night causes disorientation in migrants, leading to exhaustion, collisions, and predation vulnerability
Habitat loss at stopover sites reduces survival rates even when breeding and wintering grounds are intact
Pesticide use on agricultural land reduces insect prey availability during migration, causing energy deficits
Wind turbines placed on migration routes without adequate assessment cause significant mortality in raptors
Climate change is shifting migration timing and altering the availability of food at key stopovers

Welfare Considerations

Migration is physiologically extreme and each leg carries risks of starvation, exhaustion, and death. Birds that arrive at traditional stopover sites to find degraded habitat or pesticide-depleted insect populations face an energy crisis that can be fatal. Illegal killing in the Mediterranean involves trapping, shooting, and liming — all causing suffering before death. Light pollution causes birds to circle lit structures until exhausted, sometimes dying against buildings. The welfare dimensions of these threats are significant: exhausted migrants struggling to find food or disoriented by artificial light are experiencing acute stress and suffering.

What You Can Do

Turn off unnecessary lights on buildings during spring and fall migration periods, particularly at night
Support campaigns against illegal bird killing through organizations like BirdLife International
Plant native trees and shrubs in your garden to provide stopover habitat and insect food for migrants
Reduce or eliminate pesticide use to maintain insect availability for migrating birds
Support wind turbine siting assessments that avoid critical migration corridors
Donate to stopover habitat protection and restoration projects along major flyways
Participate in citizen science migration monitoring programs such as eBird to contribute to population data