Illegal Bird trapping in Cyprus

In 2000, BirdLife Cyprus estimated more than 12.6 migratory million birds were trapped each year. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and European Robin Erithacus rubecula are the most common targets, but research shows over 100 species are regularly killed, including 42 which have unfavourable conservation status in Europe. Two are Cypriot endemics, Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax and Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca. The indiscriminate use of mist-nets and lime twigs results in “by-catch”, unsaleable birds such as Long-eared Owl Asio otus and the globally threatened Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni.

Almost nine out of ten (88 per cent) of Cypriots say they disapprove of illegal trapping of migrating songbirds, served up as expensive delicacies in local restaurants. However, half those polled had tried “ambelopoulia”, as the dish is called, and 14 per cent said it was their favourite poultry dish.

Trapping songbirds has been illegal in Cyprus for more than 30 years, but fines are low compared with money to be made supplying restaurants, where birds can sell for two pounds or more each. Once a way of supplementing a family’s subsistence diet by setting out a few limed twigs, trapping now uses mist nets, recordings of songs and calls, and groves of trees deliberately planted to attract migrating birds looking for shelter. A campaigner with the RSPB, investigating one such grove in 2004, found poles for mist nets permanently embedded in concrete bases.

There is strong support for songbird trapping in some communities, who regard it as a traditional form of hunting which ought to be exempt from European law. Local anti-trapping campaigners, however, point out that it has become a multi-million pound industry, with nothing traditional about it.

The Cyprus Government and BirdLife Cyprus recently launched an anti-bird trapping publicity campaign, including distribution of a leaflet prepared jointly by BirdLife Cyprus, the Game Fund and police.

"With demand for ambelopoulia still strong, we want tough action against restaurants which serve it, and truly deterrent penalties imposed by courts for bird-trapping offences." —Martin Hellicar, BirdLife Cyprus

With the clamp-down taking effect, some restaurateurs have been turning elsewhere. Malta and Italy are seen as alternative sources, and one restaurateur discussed with an undercover reporter from the Cyprus Mail the possibility of buying songbirds frozen, by the container-load.

For more information see the following RSPB article