In the southeast, hog farms can generate liquid wastes and carcasses that sometimes pollute the watershed. In addition, some agriculture practices may contribute to nutrient and pesticide discharges into water bodies. Little is known if these practices affect shorebirds, but they are worth considering. Degradation, such as an oil spill, is always a potential threat. It could impact large numbers of a population, especially if timed with the peak of migration stop-over usage.
Climate change is the least studied threat for all the flyways, but worth learning more about.
Global warming might change the water level along the coast that could destroy important shorebird habitat. Warm winters may also modify migration patterns of birds, causing some shorebirds to bypass more southern conservation lands set aside for them, and winter further north. Everyone involved needs to discuss these threats and work together to find realistic solutions that help both birds and people.