Songbird Trapping in the Mediterranean

Millions of songbirds are illegally trapped across the Mediterranean each year. This practice causes enormous welfare suffering and threatens populations of migratory species across Europe and Africa.

Key Facts

An estimated 11-36 million birds are illegally killed or trapped annually across the Mediterranean, with Cyprus, Malta, Egypt and Italy among the highest-impact countries
Limestick and mist net trapping are the primary methods; limestick trapping causes acute welfare harm through stress, feather damage, and prolonged struggle before capture or death
Trapped birds are sold for consumption as a traditional delicacy in some cultures; the practice continues despite legal prohibition in EU member states
BirdLife International campaigns have successfully reduced trapping in some areas through law enforcement and community engagement, but the overall scale remains enormous
Declining migratory bird populations make continued illegal trapping an increasingly serious conservation crisis on top of the welfare emergency it already represents

Welfare Considerations

Illegal songbird trapping in the Mediterranean causes suffering on a scale difficult to comprehend. Millions of individual birds — many undertaking their first migration as juveniles — are caught on sticky limesticks or in mist nets, experience acute stress and physical injury, and are killed. The welfare harm to each individual is severe: limestick capture causes prolonged struggling, feather damage, and often injury before the bird is removed and killed, frequently by having its head pinched. The aggregate suffering across tens of millions of birds annually is one of the largest concentrated wildlife welfare emergencies in Europe. Legislative progress is real but enforcement is chronically inadequate. Consumer demand for illegally trapped birds must be addressed alongside enforcement to create lasting change.

What You Can Do

Support BirdLife International and partner organisations conducting anti-poaching operations and advocacy in the Mediterranean
Avoid consuming any food described as traditional bird delicacies in Mediterranean countries where trapping is prevalent
Report illegal bird trapping observed while travelling to local wildlife authorities and international conservation organisations
Engage with travel companies about their responsibility to avoid tourism that tolerates or promotes illegal bird trapping
Support diplomatic pressure on EU member states to enforce existing wild bird protection legislation more effectively