Millions of migratory birds are trapped or shot each year as they travel between breeding and wintering grounds. This poorly regulated trade causes massive welfare harm and population declines.
Migratory bird trapping causes suffering at an enormous scale. Lime sticks paralyse birds that land on treated branches, trapping them by their feet or wings. Mist nets entangle birds that struggle and injure themselves. Snap traps kill instantly but also catch non-target species. Birds held in cages before slaughter or sale experience chronic stress. The scale of this mortality represents both a welfare crisis and a conservation threat to many species already stressed by habitat loss and climate change. Enforcement of existing treaties is inadequate in many jurisdictions.