When the trees start to change colour and temperatures begin to drop, it can only means one thing: it’s time for the autumn migration.
This is a great time of year to spot migratory birds heading back to warmer lands, where they will spend the winter. Some of them, like the Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus), can travel over 3.500 kilometres every year. In Italy, as in many other European countries, spotting one is not easy, but a special and lucky experience to cherish.
Unfortunately, not all birds make it home. Sometimes, their routes are violently interrupted for good.
This was the case of a Booted Eagle on its journey back to Sub-Saharan Africa. Last week, the bird was found severely injured in Italy’s Lazio region. Despite being rescued and taken to LIPU’s wildlife rescue centre in Rome, it sadly did not survive. The examinations left no room for doubt: a fracture of the radius and ulna in the left wing, and eight pellets lodged in various parts of the body, injuries so severe that they led to the death of this bird of prey.
This is at least the eighth case of poaching in Italy since the hunting season legally reopened on the 20th of September 2026. Over the past month, protected species including a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), a Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), a Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo), an Audouin’s Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii), a Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) and two Eurasian Buzzards (Buteo buteo) have been across the country with gunshot injuries.
Four of them are now recovering thanks to the special care of Lipu’s rescue centers, but the Peregrine Falcon, the Grey Heron and one Eurasian Buzzard did not survive, just like the Booted Eagle.
These birds are all protected species under the EU Birds Directive as well as national legislation, and some were travelling long distances along their migration routes. The Audouin’s Gull, a species listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List, had a French ring on its leg and was very likely travelling all the way from France, where it was tagged. It is a rare site in Italy, and it’s population is rapidly declining. Their rarity must be valued, not exploited.
These cases are a stark reminder of the countless birds that lose their lives along their migration routes every year. Across the Mediterranean, millions of birds fall victim to illegal killing. Italy remains the country with the highest estimated number of illegally killed birds in the Mediterranean, with an average of 5.6 million killed every year. For birds of prey in particular, gunshots are currently the biggest cause of death, especially in farmland areas.
According to the Rome Strategic Plan 2020-2030, countries have pledged to reduce illegal killing by at least 50% by 2030. With just four years to go, national governments are not on track and Italy is one of them.
Giovanni Albarella, head of anti-poaching and hunting activities at Lipu, says: “In Italy, poaching is not just a problem – it is an emergency. Its consequences are serious, affecting not only protected and strictly protected species, already threatened by habitat loss and climate change, but also species that can legally be hunted. Birds like the Redwing, the Common Quail, and Northern Pintail are already declining, and should be removed from the list of huntable species. Illegal practices, such as the use of nets and electronic bird callers, are still too widespread during hunting activities, putting birds at risk indiscriminately.”
“As Lipu we call on the government to act for nature, nationally and at European level. Institutions need to take a step forward in both preventive and enforcement measures.”
Cover picture: Booted Eagle by Harald Ris, Shutterstock
