Ospreys undertake long-distance migrations from British breeding grounds to West African wintering areas, with satellite tracking revealing the hazards and welfare challenges individual birds face.
Individual osprey migration welfare is shaped by the cumulative demands of thousands of kilometres of flight through variable weather conditions. Birds that ground during sea crossings, that encounter illegal hunting, or that cannot find adequate food during migration stopovers are experiencing real welfare challenges. Satellite tracking data has transformed our understanding of these individual welfare narratives - each tagged bird becomes an individual whose welfare can be followed in near-real-time. Supporting anti-persecution campaigns in Mediterranean countries and habitat protection in West African wintering areas directly improves the welfare prospects of individual ospreys making this remarkable journey.