Shooting, trapping, poisoning.
Millions of migratory birds are slaughtered illegally as they make nature’s most incredible journey. Follow these magnificent birds on their epic flight for survival.
Loading map...
BirdLife International has exposed the illegal mass slaughter of migratory birds across the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Caucasus. Every year, an average of 25 000 000 birds are unlawfully shot, trapped or poisoned, from the smallest songbirds to the most powerful birds of prey. Endangered species, already hit hard by habitat loss and climate change, are being pushed closer to extinction – and all in open defiance of the law.
We are following the spectacular migratory journeys of these birds and exposing the different dangers they face at some of the worst illegal killing blackspots along the African-Eurasian flyway.
Birds know no borders; migration routes cross countries and even continents. BirdLife International is the largest nature conservation partnership in the world. Together with our national partners, we’re working to protect migratory birds at a flyway scale – but we need your help.
With your support, we can combat human threats to migratory birds at their wintering, breeding and stopover grounds and take targeted conservation action to end illegal killing at some of the worst blackspots along the African-Eurasian flyway.
February 27, 2025
Law enforcement failure leads to surge in bird trapping in Cyprus
February 27, 2025BirdLife Cyprus’ autumn 2024 trapping report reveals an increase in bird trapping within the Republic of Cyprus, highlighting the failure of the Cyprus Police Anti-Poaching Unit […]
December 17, 2024
Serbia fails to save quails
December 17, 2024160,000 quails are killed illegally each year in Western Balkans!
July 18, 2024
A brighter future for the European Turtle-dove?
July 18, 2024Discussions about the European Turtle-dove are often centred around phrases like 'worrying decline,' 'depleted populations,' and comparisons to the fate of the Passenger Pigeon, which went extinct at the beginning of the 20th century. But now, there are signs of recovery of the western breeding population!
March 6, 2024
Members of Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia (BPSSS), BirdLife Serbia, have made a disturbing discovery in the agricultural land near the village of Nakovo, in northern Serbia. More than 800 lifeless birds were found scattered across the area. Among the casualties were at least 434 Rooks and 373 Jackdaws, both protected species. The circumstances indicate a mass poisoning incident, which is yet to be confirmed through laboratory analysis conducted by a veterinary institute. If confirmed, this incident would mark one of the largest instances of mass poisoning ever recorded in this part of Europe, according to ornithologists closely monitoring the situation.
