Illegal trapping of migratory songbirds on Mediterranean islands, in the Middle East, and across parts of Africa kills or captures millions of birds annually for food and the cage bird trade.
Illegal migratory bird trapping causes acute welfare harm at a scale of tens of millions of individuals annually. Liming — coating branches or sticks with adhesive — traps birds by their feathers or feet. Birds caught by limesticks undergo acute panic and can injure themselves severely attempting to escape. Captured live birds are often kept in poor conditions before sale. The Mediterranean region falls on the migration flyway used by billions of birds travelling between Europe and Africa, concentrating trapping pressure on a narrow geographic corridor. Law enforcement is often inadequate, making NGO monitoring and removal operations an essential complement to legal protection.