Slavonian grebes breed in tiny numbers in Scotland and are one of the UK's rarest breeding birds, with individual welfare being highly conservation-relevant.
Slavonian grebe pairs that lose nests to disturbance or predation invest enormous energy in failed breeding attempts. With fewer than 30 pairs, every breeding attempt matters for both welfare and conservation. Exclusion zones around known nest lochs, mink control, and water level management are the primary welfare and conservation interventions for this critically rare breeding species.