Herons, egrets, spoonbills, and other wading birds depend on productive wetland habitats that are being lost globally through drainage, pollution, and climate change.
Key Facts
Approximately 35% of global wetlands have been lost since 1970 through drainage and conversion
Wading birds require shallow productive water for foraging and can travel long distances to reach feeding areas
Great egret populations in North America rebounded after near-extinction from plume hunting through the early 1900s
Long-legged wading birds are sensitive indicators of wetland health and fish community productivity
Breeding colonies of herons and egrets require undisturbed nesting habitat near productive feeding wetlands
Welfare Considerations
Wading birds unable to find productive foraging habitat during breeding face energy deficits that affect chick survival and adult condition. Wetland drainage eliminates the productive shallow water habitats where these birds find food. Creating and protecting wetland buffer zones near agricultural land provides foraging habitat that benefits individual birds and supports population recovery.
What You Can Do
Support wetland conservation and restoration organizations in your region
Advocate for wetland protection in land use planning and agricultural policy
Learn about wading birds as indicators of wetland health when evaluating conservation priorities
Reduce water pollution from your household that reaches wetland ecosystems
Create small water features in your garden to support wetland-associated wildlife locally