Wildlife Welfare

Wild Migratory Bird Stopover Welfare

Migratory birds depend on stopover sites to refuel between migration legs, with habitat quality at stopovers directly affecting individual welfare.

Key Facts

Migratory birds can lose 50% of body mass on long migration legs before reaching stopovers
Food availability at stopovers determines whether birds successfully complete migration
Coastal scrub, woodland edges, and wetlands are critical stopover habitats
Light pollution and windows at stopover sites cause collision mortality
Climate change is shifting stopover timing and food availability mismatches

Welfare Considerations

Individual migratory birds arriving at stopovers are often in physiologically depleted states requiring rapid refuelling. Stopover sites with inadequate food resources leave birds unable to complete migration, causing starvation or preventing successful breeding. Protecting and restoring stopover habitats is a direct welfare intervention for the billions of birds undertaking migrations annually.

What You Can Do

Support coastal and inland stopover habitat conservation
Create wildlife-friendly gardens that provide food for migrating birds
Advocate for light pollution reduction during peak migration periods