Golden plovers are emblematic upland birds whose welfare is linked to the management of moorland, peat bog, and agricultural grassland.
Individual golden plovers that cannot find sufficient invertebrate prey face starvation and breeding failure. Management of both upland breeding habitat and lowland wintering farmland affects individual plover welfare throughout the year. Sympathetic management that maintains rough grassland on farms and protects upland peat bog directly improves welfare conditions for wintering and breeding birds.