Spotted redshanks stage in small numbers on UK estuaries during autumn migration from Arctic breeding grounds to African wintering sites, with welfare dependent on undisturbed access to feeding habitat.
Spotted redshank welfare during UK estuary staging depends on access to undisturbed, productive intertidal habitat. Staging migrants need to accumulate fuel reserves for continuation of migration to African wintering grounds. Disturbance from recreation, wildfowling, or water management activities forces repeated flight during a period when energy conservation is critical. Estuaries with managed disturbance-free zones and abundant invertebrate food provide welfare-positive staging habitat. The relatively small UK staging numbers mean each individual estuary and individual feeding area contributes meaningfully to population-level welfare during migration.