Wildlife Conservation

Wild Migratory Songbird Mediterranean Trapping

Millions of songbirds are illegally trapped in the Mediterranean region during migration for food and sport, representing a significant welfare and conservation concern.

Key Facts

An estimated 25 million birds are illegally killed in the Mediterranean annually
Cyprus, Malta, and Lebanon are among the worst-affected regions
Trappers use limesticks and mist nets to capture birds by the thousands
Enforcement has increased but illegal trapping continues at scale

Welfare Considerations

Birds caught on limesticks experience stress injuries from struggling to free themselves, often breaking bones and losing feathers. Birds in mist nets that are not quickly extracted can die from stress and injury. Trapped birds held in cages for sale experience chronic confinement stress. The scale of illegal trapping removes millions of experienced migratory birds from breeding populations annually.

What You Can Do

Support organizations monitoring and reporting illegal bird trapping in the Mediterranean
Advocate for strengthened enforcement and penalties for illegal trapping
Contact airlines and tour operators about responsible travel in high-trapping regions
Support conservation organizations working on Mediterranean migratory bird protection