Wildlife

Wild Osprey Winter Migration Welfare

Scottish ospreys migrate to West Africa for winter, facing welfare risks from hazardous journeys and hunting pressure along migration routes.

Key Facts

Scottish ospreys winter primarily in Gambia, Senegal and Guinea-Bissau
The 5,000-mile migration involves crossing the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean
Satellite tags have revealed migration routes, timing and winter territories
Some ospreys are shot or captured in Mediterranean countries
Juvenile ospreys have lower survival rates during their first migration

Welfare Considerations

Long-distance migration exposes ospreys to multiple welfare risks including exhaustion, starvation, dehydration over the Sahara, and illegal killing. Addressing hunting pressure in migration bottleneck countries through international conservation cooperation protects individual bird welfare. Satellite tracking data is essential for identifying specific threat hot-spots.

What You Can Do

Support osprey satellite tracking programs providing migration data
Advocate for international cooperation on migratory bird hunting restrictions
Follow osprey migration updates from wildlife trusts and monitoring projects