Lead poisoning from ingesting gut piles and bullet fragments at hunting sites kills hundreds of bald eagles and other raptors annually, representing a preventable welfare harm with a straightforward solution.
Lead poisoning causes progressive neurological deterioration: eagles first show weakness and inability to fly, progressing to seizures, loss of coordination, and death. The rehabilitation success rate is moderate when birds are rescued early, but many affected birds are found dead or too severely affected for recovery. The welfare harm is entirely preventable by substituting non-lead copper bullets, which are ballistically equivalent and cost-comparable. Hunters who switch to non-lead ammunition eliminate this welfare harm without any hunting capability tradeoff.