Migratory Bird Stopover Habitat Protection

Stopover habitats are critical welfare and conservation bottlenecks for billions of migratory birds each year.

Key Facts

Approximately 5 billion birds migrate between North and South America annually
Stopover sites where birds rest and refuel are irreplaceable — their loss forces longer non-stop flights
Coastal wetlands, river valleys, and forest corridors are key stopover habitats
Bird populations have declined over 3 billion individuals in North America since 1970
Light pollution at night disorients migratory birds, causing collisions and navigation errors

Welfare Considerations

Stopover habitats are not merely important for population statistics — they are places where billions of individual birds experience the critical rest and refueling that allows them to survive their journeys. Birds arriving at degraded or destroyed stopover sites face starvation, exhaustion, and increased predation risk. The welfare dimension of habitat loss is most acute during migration when birds have no flexibility — they cannot detour or delay when they arrive at a traditional stopover to find it gone. Protecting and restoring stopover habitats is a high-leverage intervention for migratory bird welfare and conservation simultaneously.

What You Can Do

Support conservation of key migratory bird stopover sites in your region
Reduce outdoor lighting during spring and fall migration seasons
Plant native species in your yard that support insects and berries for migrating birds
Donate to bird conservation organizations focused on habitat protection
Advocate for building lighting ordinances that reduce bird collision risk