Oystercatchers are highly intelligent shorebirds whose welfare depends on access to mussel beds and cockle flats threatened by commercial shellfish harvesting and sea level change.
Oystercatchers form strong pair bonds and maintain individual feeding territories on intertidal flats, and their welfare is intimately linked to the health and productivity of shellfish habitats. Competition with commercial harvesting for cockles and mussels can strip feeding grounds of prey, forcing birds to travel further or switch to less efficient food sources. Winter mortality from starvation, particularly in cold periods when frozen ground removes alternative earthworm prey, causes prolonged suffering in displaced individuals.