Farmland wading bird populations have declined severely across the UK, and targeted agri-environment schemes are demonstrating that recovery is achievable with appropriate management.
Wading birds on degraded farmland face chronic welfare costs from failed breeding attempts, food shortages, and increased predation vulnerability in simplified habitats. Chicks dying from starvation or predation on inadequately managed sites, and adults investing energy in breeding attempts that consistently fail, represent significant welfare harm at population scale. Well-managed agri-environment sites demonstrate dramatically improved chick survival and adult body condition, indicating that targeted habitat management addresses the root causes of welfare and population decline simultaneously.