Bewick swans are declining arctic visitors to the UK, and welfare monitoring at key wintering sites including Slimbridge shows concerning trends linked to conditions across their migration route.
Lead poisoning in Bewick swans causes neurological damage, weight loss, and slow death. Individual welfare monitoring at Slimbridge shows birds with lead poisoning, injuries, and reduced body condition. Families that lose young on migration arrive at wintering sites in distress. Swans form long-term pair bonds and mourn dead mates, making individual mortality especially impactful on surviving partners.