Curlew sandpipers are long-distance migrants passing through the UK. Their welfare during migration and on wintering grounds deserves conservation attention.
Migratory waders that cannot refuel adequately during stopovers face energy deficits that reduce survival probability. Individual curlew sandpipers stopping in UK estuaries benefit directly from intertidal habitat quality that supports abundant invertebrate prey. Protecting estuarine habitats that support migratory refueling directly improves individual bird welfare during the energetically demanding migration period.