Lead poisoning from ingesting spent ammunition fragments in gut piles is a primary welfare and mortality cause for recovering white-tailed eagle populations across Europe.
Lead poisoning in white-tailed eagles causes severe progressive welfare impacts: weakness and inability to fly, loss of coordination, inability to catch prey, emaciation, and paralysis. Affected birds suffer for extended periods before dying. The toxic pathway through ingesting lead fragments in gut piles is entirely preventable through use of non-lead rifle ammunition. Eagles treated for lead poisoning and released continue to face re-exposure risk unless the source is eliminated.