Millions of wild songbirds are illegally trapped and sold as cage birds each year in Southern Europe and across the Mediterranean. The scale of this trade causes significant welfare harm and drives population declines in migratory species.
Songbird trapping welfare harms are severe. Limesticks coated with sticky adhesive trap birds by the feet, legs, or wings — birds may struggle for hours before dying or being retrieved by trappers. Mist nets tangle birds in ways that can dislocate joints and damage feathers. Call birds kept in small boxes to lure others endure prolonged captivity stress. Cage birds trapped from the wild rather than bred in captivity experience severe acute stress during capture and transport. The welfare case against songbird trapping is clear and legally supported across EU member states — the challenge is enforcement in regions where cultural tradition conflicts with legal protection. Consumer pressure on restaurants serving ortolan bunting and ambelopoulia, combined with enforcement funding, are the most effective interventions.