Wildlife

Songbird Trapping for Illegal Trade

Millions of songbirds are trapped illegally each year for the cagebird trade and for consumption as a delicacy in some Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, causing significant welfare harm and population decline.

Key Facts

An estimated 25 million birds are illegally killed or trapped in the Mediterranean annually
Trappers use sticky lime sticks, mist nets, and recorded calls to attract and capture birds
Trapped birds die from stress, injury, or are kept in severely overcrowded holding conditions
Migrating birds are disproportionately affected as they travel predictable routes
BirdLife International documents trapping hotspots and advocates for law enforcement

Welfare Considerations

Birds caught in lime sticks or mist nets suffer entanglement injuries and extreme stress responses. Songbirds have high metabolic rates and die quickly from handling stress without careful intervention. Those not immediately killed are held in severely crowded conditions that cause feather damage, injury, and starvation. The scale of illegal songbird trapping in the Mediterranean represents one of the largest direct bird welfare problems in the world.

What You Can Do

Report illegal trapping activity to wildlife authorities when traveling
Support BirdLife International and partner organizations documenting trapping hotspots
Advocate for stronger enforcement and penalties for bird trapping
Choose tourism operators in affected regions who support wildlife protection
Donate to campaigns against illegal bird trapping in Mediterranean countries