With the start of bird migration in the Mediterranean, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (Komitee gegen den Vogelmord e.V.) launched its annual operations in Malta at the beginning of March. Thanks to information provided by the committee, the police were able to apprehend ten poachers in March. Twenty-four clap nets and over 50 decoy birds were confiscated.
Due to its strategic position in the Mediterranean, the Maltese archipelago plays a crucial role as a stopover for migratory birds on their journey between Europe and Africa. The compact archipelago of just 360 square kilometers offers a welcome resting place for exhausted birds, especially during adverse weather conditions. The spectacle of flocks of birds arriving on Malta and Gozo is an impressive natural phenomenon that fascinates more than just birdwatchers. Year after year, it attracts poachers and hunters who exploit this opportunity and kill or capture thousands of birds using huge nets, limesticks, rockfall traps, and shot (photo: turtle dove and quail). Between 200.000 and one million birds are killed or captured each year in Malta alone. Official hunting statistics show around 120.000 birds killed, but the number is considerably higher due to widespread poaching and illegal hunting.
In Malta, there is a high demand for caged songbirds. Species such as linnets, hawfinches, siskins, chaffinches, and greenfinches fetch substantial prices on the black market, providing lucrative income for poachers. Despite the EU-wide ban, the Maltese government continues to grant exemptions for bird trapping in the autumn. This practice also indirectly encourages spring poaching, as it creates the impression that the authorities are unwilling to end this controversial "tradition." Consequently, illegal bird trapping in spring remains a widespread problem on the island.
To combat illegal bird trapping, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter is organizing various conservation missions in the Mediterranean region. These actions will begin in Malta this spring. Parallel operations are already underway in Lebanon, including against the shooting of storks.
The conservation efforts extend to other regions as well: Several teams are deployed on the Greek island of Zakynthos, while further operations are taking place in Italy and Cyprus. A total of nine deployments with approximately 80 volunteers are planned by mid-May. Up-to-date information on these conservation measures is disseminated via social media and a dedicated bird conservation blog.
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