Eurasian spoonbills winter in coastal West Africa, where habitat degradation, disturbance, and hunting pressure create welfare challenges for birds that have bred successfully in European colonies.
Spoonbills arriving on West African wintering grounds after long migration need access to productive, undisturbed shallow wetlands for foraging recovery. Habitat degradation through mangrove clearance and coastal development reduces foraging opportunities, causing nutritional stress in birds that must rebuild body condition after migration. Hunting at roost sites causes direct mortality and chronic disturbance to birds that need rest for body condition restoration. International conservation partnerships supporting habitat protection at wintering sites are essential complements to breeding colony protection in Europe.