Cyprus -Nature- Prevent Bird Trapping

Many hundreds of thousands of birds are illegally trapped each spring and autumn while on migration through Cyprus. Your letter to the Cypriot Government will help keep this issue high on the agenda in Cyprus and make sure that this illegal activity is finally stamped out. Blackcaps, and other songbirds such as robins and bee-eaters, are the main target, taken for ambelopoulia - an expensive local delicacy in which the whole bird is pickled. Other species unfortunate enough to be caught in the traps are killed and discarded.

The indiscriminate methods used by the trappers are responsible for the slaughter of many other rare and protected species including bee-eaters, shrikes and two species that breed only in Cyprus, the Cyprus warbler and Cyprus wheatear. Strong action is needed to put an end to this needless slaughter.

Trapping has been unlawful on Cyprus for decades but a minority of hard-core trappers are continuing to supply a lucrative and illicit demand for ambelopoulia. For the past three years, the RSPB has funded work in Cyprus to help stop the illegal trapping of migrant birds, saving some 20 million birds. Prior to the RSPB's involvement, up to 10 million migrating birds each year were being illegally trapped using indiscriminate methods, namely mist nets and lime sticks. In the last couple of years, thanks to the hard work of our Cyprus BirdLife partner with the enforcement authorities, the annual slaughter has been reduced by an estimated 80%.

However, many hundreds of thousands of migrating birds are still illegally trapped each spring and autumn and stronger action is needed to put an end to this needless slaughter. Many local tavernas and restaurants continue to serve ambelopoulia with little deterrent despite it being illegal to do so.