Migratory Bird Welfare: Protecting Long-Distance Travelers

Understanding the unique welfare challenges facing migratory birds during their extraordinary seasonal journeys, and the conservation actions that support their survival and wellbeing.

Key Facts

Over 5 billion individual birds migrate between North and South America annually, crossing thousands of kilometers
Climate change has disrupted migration timing by 2-5 days per decade, creating mismatches with food availability at stopover sites
Window strikes kill an estimated 600 million birds annually in North America alone — buildings are the second-leading cause of bird mortality
Light pollution disorients nocturnal migrants, causing them to circle illuminated buildings until exhausted or struck
Habitat loss at stopover sites is often more limiting than breeding or wintering habitat quality
Some shorebird species lose 55% of their body weight during non-stop transoceanic flights of 10,000+ kilometers

Welfare Considerations

Migratory birds experience exceptional physiological stress during migration, including extreme energy depletion, navigation challenges, and exposure to novel threats at each stopover. The welfare dimension of migration extends beyond individual birds to population-level impacts on billions of animals. Anthropogenic threats including building strikes, light pollution, and habitat loss at stopover sites represent tractable welfare problems where individual and collective action can have meaningful impact. Protecting and restoring stopover habitat addresses welfare at a population scale, while building modifications can prevent millions of individual bird deaths annually.

What You Can Do

Make windows bird-safe using exterior films, screens, or ultraviolet-reflective glass that birds can detect
Turn off unnecessary exterior lights during peak migration periods (spring and fall nights)
Participate in community science migration monitoring programs like eBird to help track population trends
Advocate for dark-sky policies and lights-out programs in your city during migration seasons
Plant native shrubs and trees that provide stopover food and shelter for migrants passing through your area
Support organizations protecting stopover habitats like the National Audubon Society and American Bird Conservancy