Millions of songbirds are illegally trapped across Mediterranean countries each year. The welfare and conservation impacts of this centuries-old tradition are severe and largely hidden.
Songbird trapping causes acute suffering through multiple mechanisms. Limestick-trapped birds struggle exhausting themselves, often breaking wings and legs in the process. Mist-netted birds suffocate or die of stress when left unattended. Birds that are transported alive to restaurants experience capture myopathy — a stress syndrome that causes muscle damage and organ failure. The scale — tens of millions of individuals annually — represents an enormous aggregate welfare cost. Legal prohibition has not been matched by enforcement in many jurisdictions, allowing the practice to continue with near impunity. Consumer demand for illegally trapped songbirds in restaurants sustains the practice despite legal risk.