Bewick swans are long-distance migrants that winter in the UK from Siberian breeding grounds, facing welfare challenges on migration routes and on wintering grounds.
Bewick swans face multiple welfare challenges including exhausting long-distance migration, lead poisoning from waterfowl shooting residues, power line collisions, and habitat loss on wintering grounds. Family separation during migration or due to mortality of adults causes measurable behavioural stress to surviving family members.