Wildlife

Bar-Tailed Godwit Welfare During Ultra-Long-Distance Migration

Bar-tailed godwits perform the longest non-stop migrations of any bird, raising profound welfare questions about energetic limits and stopover quality.

Key Facts

Bar-tailed godwits fly up to 11,000 km non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand
They pre-fatten to 50% of body weight before departure
Internal organs shrink to reduce weight then regrow after landing
Estuarine stopover sites in China and Korea are critical refuelling habitats
Habitat loss at Yellow Sea stopover sites threatens population survival

Welfare Considerations

The physiological demands of ultra-long migrations push bar-tailed godwits to extreme limits. Birds arriving at stopover sites are exhausted and face intense competition for rapidly depleting food. Habitat destruction at stopover sites forces birds to continue with inadequate fuel reserves, dramatically increasing mortality risk. Conservation of intertidal feeding habitats is directly linked to reducing welfare costs during migration.

What You Can Do

Support conservation of Yellow Sea tidal flat habitats
Back BirdLife International campaigns against stopover site reclamation
Advocate for international migratory bird treaty enforcement
Support WWF work protecting intertidal habitats in China and Korea
Join global monitoring programmes tracking godwit migration routes