Svalbard barnacle geese make extraordinary migrations between Arctic breeding grounds and UK wintering sites. Climate change and agricultural intensification challenge their welfare.
Barnacle goose welfare during migration is affected by feeding opportunity at stopover sites and disturbance during wintering. Their remarkable population recovery demonstrates what legal protection and habitat management can achieve. Wintering on the Solway Firth depends on salt marsh and improved grassland quality maintained by WWT reserve management. Disturbance from wildfowling near refuge areas disrupts roosting and feeding, reducing energetic efficiency of wintering birds. Continued reserve protection at key wintering sites is essential for maintaining the welfare of this globally important population.