Common greenshanks undertake long migrations between Eurasian breeding grounds and African and South Asian wintering sites, facing habitat threats at multiple points.
Greenshanks face welfare challenges throughout their annual cycle. On Scottish breeding grounds, disturbance by walkers and dogs flushes birds from nests exposing eggs to cold and predation. During migration, hunting at key stopover sites causes injury and death. On African wintering grounds, wetland drainage reduces foraging habitat quality forcing birds to spend more energy travelling between suitable feeding sites. Climate change affecting insect abundance on breeding grounds creates food security welfare issues during chick rearing.