Greater Yellowlegs: Migratory Welfare Science

Key Welfare Facts

Greater yellowlegs undertake long-distance migrations from Arctic breeding grounds to South American wintering areas.
Coastal and wetland stopovers are critical fuelling sites where disturbance causes costly energy expenditure.
Hunting pressure in some Caribbean islands causes direct mortality and displacement during migration.
Wetland drainage removes crucial intertidal feeding habitat, limiting refuelling capacity and delaying migration.
Individual tracking shows highly consistent site fidelity, making individual key sites especially important for welfare.
Plastic pollution in coastal wetlands contaminates food chains and directly affects health of migratory waders.

Welfare Assessment

Greater yellowlegs welfare depends on protection of coastal wetland stopovers throughout their migration range. Supporting hemispheric conservation partnerships that protect key wetland sites across the Americas offers the most effective welfare protection.

What You Can Do

Support wetland conservation organisations across the Americas protecting migratory wader sites
Advocate for cessation of hunting pressure on migratory waders during stopover periods
Reduce plastic waste that enters coastal wetland food chains
Report yellowlegs sightings at UK and European coastal sites to recording schemes