Birdlife Europe – Letting birds fly free

Photo by M. De Silvi

Every year, millions of migratory birds travel between their breeding grounds in Europe and Asia to Africa, where they spend the winter. This journey is not without danger unfortunately. At some of the sites the birds stop at along the way, they are under-protected, making the migratory trip a treacherous one.

An estimated 25 million birds are illegally killed, trapped and poisoned each year as they travel across the Mediterranean region[1]. This death toll has negatively impacted the population of many species, and 17 per cent of migratory birds are already globally threatened[2].

This is where the work of BirdLife International, a global partnership of more than 115 conservation organisations comes in. It works to protect birds, and conserve their habitats and global biodiversity. Oak supports the efforts of BirdLife Europe’s work in Italy, Malta and Cyprus, as it seeks to combat the threats birds are facing, while also educating millions of citizens and mobilising many of them to get involved in this conservation fight.

“BirdLife works on the things that need to be solved nationally, and team up to address things internationally,” says Barend van Gemerden, coordinator of BirdLife International’s Global Flyways Programme.
By using a three-pronged approach, BirdLife International works towards its conservation goals in a very strategic way. First, the organisation collects data on illegal activity and the population levels of various species. Second, it raises awareness about the issue of illegal bird killing through media outreach and people engagement, and third, it carries out advocacy work in a local context, as well as at national and international levels.

Cyprus is one of the many regions where BirdLife Europe has seen tremendous success so far. Four years ago, BirdLife Cyprus recorded the highest ever trapping levels within the sovereign base area in Dhekelia. They took the necessary steps to protect the birds, and an autumn 2020 survey revealed a 94 per cent decrease in trapping levels with illegal mist nets, compared to 2002.

“We have been both astonished and inspired by what can be accomplished by a dedicated group with the passion, outreach and professionalism of the BirdLife Partnerships. It is an amazing organisation,” says Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson, BirdLife Rare Bird Club members.

On many Mediterranean islands, illegal bird killing is ingrained in the culture of local people, where birds have been hunted traditionally for centuries. Historically, trapped birds were a food supplement for the mostly poor island inhabitants living off the land. However, trapping as practiced in Cyprus today, using mist nets and/or limesticks, with the use of electronic calling devices to attract birds, bears no relation to the traditional practice. Nowadays, illegal bird trapping in Cyprus is widespread and extensive, taking place at an industrial scale, and contributing to the largescale killing of hundreds of thousands of migratory and resident birds. Songbirds are sold at restaurants and eaten at home, and it has become an illegal, profitable ‘business’ worth millions of euros. The campaign against illegal bird trapping is one of Birdlife Cyprus’ most important long-term activities.

In addition, BirdLife Cyprus’ education programme is working to dispel the myth that illegal bird killing is uncommon and, therefore, not an issue on the island and to teach children to love and appreciate both birds and nature. As part of this effort, BirdLife Cyprus recently designed a board game for children, in which they can take on the persona of a threatened bird and experience the challenges this bird faces on its migratory journey home.

“BirdLife partners are positioned along all major flyways, meaning that anywhere a bird is going, they will at least find a few friendly faces to help them along the way,” says Barend.
This grant falls under our Special Interest Progamme, which reflects the Trustees’ interests in making dynamic, diverse, large, innovative, and challenging grants. You can read more about the programme here. Find out more about Birdlife International here.


[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zactNNklYNc
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zactNNklYNc