Wildlife

Wild Migratory Songbird Population Decline

The welfare implications of long-distance migratory songbird population declines and the multiple threats they face across their range.

Key Facts

Over 500 million migratory birds use the East Atlantic Flyway annually
Many long-distance migrants including cuckoo and swift have declined by over 50%
Threats operate across the entire migration route including breeding, migration, and wintering grounds
African wintering habitat loss increasingly limits migrant winter survival
UK agri-environment schemes help restore breeding habitat for summer migrants

Welfare Considerations

Migratory songbird declines mean fewer individuals experiencing successful breeding, migration, and survival. Each population decline represents millions of individual welfare failures - starvation, exhaustion, and death across the migration cycle.

What You Can Do

Create native insect-rich habitat in your garden to support breeding migrants
Support organizations working on threats across migrant flyways
Advocate for agri-environment funding that restores breeding habitat for migrants