If Spring turns into bird-Hell
By Luca Bonaccorsi
Hands and feet glued to a tree. Only able to shake and agitate. Unable to drink, feed and, probably, to even understand what is happening. The only possibility being a restless motion that leads to a slow, agonising death.
How does it feel? Impossible to understand.
What is understandable though, it is why this is such an emotional issue for birds, animals and generally nature lovers.
With Spring millions of migratory birds return to Europe and fill our skies with life, colours and sounds. Unfortunately in some places they find the kind of hospitality you see depicted in our cover. But that is not what the March issue of birdseye, almost entirely dedicated to the illegal killing of birds, is about.
Emotions aside, this is a serious conservation issue. You will read an objective and factual analysis of the current situation in Europe and the Mediterranean.
That is why we start with the preliminary results of a landmark study by 27 BirdLife Partners in the Mediterranean region, plus Georgia. Willem Van Den Bossche reports that: “Early results show that at least 10 million wild birds are illegally killed and taken in the Mediterranean region each year, including many threatened or declining species”.
Of course the problem is particularly bad in Southern Europe, for a number of reasons addressed in the article dedicated to Leaving is living, a joint project of our Italian, Spanish and Greek Partners, Lisa Benedetti reports. But severe problems are also witnessed in countries such as Serbia, writes Marko Tucakov, adding to the incredible recent reportage by Newsweek.
And problems do exist even in the supposedly bird-friendly UK. Bob Elliot reports that: ”In the northern part of the stunning Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, an area renowned for two iconic species, the goshawk and the peregrine falcon, these species have seen catastrophic declines. Continuous bird-persecution is preventing the recovery of several priority species, such as the golden eagle and the hen harrier”.
But as gruesome and upsetting these occurrences are, we must not forget the bigger picture. And that’s exactly what Ariel Brunner does in his article when he reminds us that: “Europe has never been as safe for wild birds as it is today, and levels of persecution are orders of magnitude lower than those seen thirty years ago. Much of the improvement is thanks to one of Europe’s most successful pieces of legislation - the Birds Directive. At a time when this landmark legislation is under attack, it is important to remember the road we have travelled”.
Fair rules that work (when enforced) allow alliances in the least obvious quarters. And to prove it, this month we host Filippo Segato, Secretary General of the European Hunters Association FACE, and his firm words: “The killing of birds outside the legal provisions is a crime. FACE has a firm position in condemning illegal activities. FACE abides by the European-wide framework upholding the principle of “sustainable use of wildlife resources”, i.e. that must have no prejudice to the conservation status of birds”.
And this is what is needed today - unity among all those who care about the future of the living world - to defend the rules (the Birds Directive) we have, and to have them thoroughly enforced.
P.S.
A special thank you goes to the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) for letting us use their picture on our cover.
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The Birds Directive has made Europe safer for wild birds. And now it is under attack.
The illegal killing of birds is still a big problem across Europe and in some regions it is still at epidemic levels. Outrage is justified, but it sometimes risks drowning out the good news. Europe has never been as safe for wild birds as it is today, and levels of persecution are orders of magnitude lower than those seen thirty years ago. Much of the improvement is thanks to one of Europe’s most successful pieces of legislation - the Birds Directive. At a time when this landmark legislation is under political attack, it is important to remember the road we have already traveled, and look at the road we have ahead. By Ariel Brunner
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The European Hunters Association stands up against illegal killing of birds
When German travellers visited Italy in the 18th and 19th century they were not only fascinated by the sights of ancient archaeologic sites but remained impressed by the lines of nets adorning the beaches facing Africa. Today this unsustainable practice has disappeared from the coasts of Italy. This is due to the prohibition of nets adopted in 1969 which was enshrined ten years later in the Birds Directive.
By Filippo Segato
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Illegal Killing of Birds: Facts and Figures
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First ever pan-Mediterranean study reveals scale of wild birds massacre
Early results show that at least 10 million birds are illegally killed and taken in the Mediterranean region each year, including many threatened or declining species. 27 BirdLife Partners in the Mediterranean region, plus Georgia, are now undertaking for the very first time, a much needed scientific review.
By Willem Van den Bosch
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Italy, Spain and Greece join forces to change culture that supports illegal killings
In most countries the Illegal killing of protected wild birds would seem rather uncivilized and the methods used barbaric, so you might be surprised that it is still quite common in some regions of Italy, Greece and Spain. Leaving is Living is an ambitious three year campaign run by LIPU, SEO/BirdLife, and HOS to raise awareness and change local attitudes about this serious issue. By Lisa Benedetti
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Another killing season in Cyprus?
If what was seen during the 2014 autumn in Cyprus is any indication, most birds passing through will have little chance against the 16 km of mist nets and more than 6,000 limesticks they could face. l.b.
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Dark shadows over world famous Peak District National Park
In its 23rd annual Birdcrime report launched last October, the RSPB demonstrates that continuous bird-persecution is leading to have a conservation level impact on several priority species, such as the golden eagle and hen harrier. By Bob Elliot
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The Balkans bird mafia
«Resting on one knee, the man poses for the camera, his kill laid out in front of him in rows of 20... before the end of the day, they will be skinned, packed and frozen in preparation for smuggling over land into Italy. Within 48 hours, many will have already been sold on the black market to Italian restaurants who offer them up as traditional Italian cuisine». Adding to Newsweek gruesome reportage from Serbia.
By Marko Tucakov
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Seabird bycatch: the accidental slaughter of thousands of seabirds
Sometimes humans can slaughter birds on a similar scale to the one described so far, but accidentally. Such is the case of the incidental catch of seabirds, also known as seabird bycatch. EU decision makers are in the middle of a debate on how to manage Baltic commercial fish stocks and the impact of fishing activities on the wider environment, including seabird bycatch. But how can this be achieved concretely in the Baltic? And why are the decisions taken for the Baltic region so important for the rest of European countries? By Bruna Campos
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This publication receives its support by the European Commission and the RSPB