Komitee gegen den Vogelmord e.V. Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)

Komitee gegen den Vogelmord e. V.
Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)

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Nest robbery

Thrush chicks seized from poachers (South Tyrol)
Thrush chicks seized from poachers (South Tyrol)

In many southern European countries, live decoys are legally used to hunt songbirds. Up until 2012, special permits allowed bird trapping to "preserve the tradition" of decoy hunting. The supply of decoy birds must now be maintained by captive bred birds - exceptions exist for certain countries, like France.

The problem: Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Eurasian Skylarks can theoretically be bred in captivity, but the effort and associated costs are very high. The price for a bred thrush quickly rises above 200€, which is too expensive for most buyers. In addition, the existing breeders are far from being able to cover the large demand. 

In order to prevent "breeders" from catching birds with nets, birds must be fitted with closed rings which can only be fitted when they are chicks. This practise is being undermined by the alleged breeding farms. Their trick: they rob chicks of the affected species from wild nests, ring the young and sell them as offspring to hunters.