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During hunting season hunters were present during daytime at more than half the visits by bird censusers in about half of the most important shallow-water areas. At dusk and dawn hunting is even more intense. In western Jutland about 90% of the ducks are found in 20% of the shallow- water area protected against shooting. In autumn large changes in bird distribution occur in connection with the start and end of shooting. Although much information exists on displacement caused by hunting, little information is available concerning the ecological consequences of this for waterfowl. As autumn and winter proceed, feeding becomes progressively more difficult. In winter, disturbances probably have more severe consequences for waterfowl. Probably few individual waterfowl in Danish wetlands during autumn avoid being shot at, or being in a flock which is shot at. Even in the sedentary Danish mute swan (Cygnus olor) population, which has been fully protected for 50 years, about 25% carry shot in their tissue. Such extreme hunting intensity has led to great wariness in the birds, so that other innocuous human activities may cause serious disturbances.