Migratory birds depend on network of stopover sites that are being lost to development, creating welfare crises during twice-annual migrations.
Migratory bird welfare during stopovers is precarious. Birds arriving at traditional stopover sites that have been developed face immediate welfare emergencies - depleted fat reserves from migration combined with absent food make starvation risk acute. Window collision mortality during migration periods kills an estimated one billion birds annually in North America alone - each collision represents an acute injury or death. Light pollution causes disorientation, leading birds to circle illuminated buildings until they drop exhausted. Climate-driven mistiming between bird arrival and food availability creates chronic nutritional stress.