Shorebirds undertaking extreme long-distance migrations face escalating welfare threats from habitat loss, climate change, and hunting along their flyways.
Long-distance migratory shorebirds face welfare challenges across vast geographic scales that no single jurisdiction can address alone. The physiological extremes of migration — organ atrophy and regrowth, extreme fat deposition, sustained flight over days — represent substantial physiological stress even under optimal conditions. Habitat loss at stopover sites forces birds to continue migration in compromised body condition, elevating mortality risk and causing starvation. Climate-driven phenological mismatches mean birds arrive at breeding grounds when insect peaks have already passed, affecting reproductive success and individual condition. Illegal hunting during migration causes direct mortality and wounding. Effective shorebird welfare requires international cooperation across entire flyway systems, not just protection at breeding or wintering grounds alone.