Waterfowl hunting is practiced globally and raises welfare questions about wounding rates, lead poisoning from spent shot, and disturbance to birds during critical feeding periods.
Waterfowl hunting welfare involves both acute suffering from wounding and chronic population-level harm from lead poisoning. The high wounding rate — birds struck but not retrieved — means that a significant proportion of birds shot experience prolonged suffering before death or recovery. Lead shot ingestion by non-target species including swans and eagles causes neurological damage and prolonged death. Non-toxic shot alternatives are commercially available and mandate-ready where regulations require them. Reducing wounding rates through appropriate shot selection, range limitation, and skill training improves welfare outcomes for hunted birds.