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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Chick robbery for falconers and bird collectors

Peregrine falcons at the nest
 Hans Schächl 
Peregrine falcons at the nest

Many species of birds of prey can be legally kept and captive bred with the appropriate expertise and authorisations. However, the removal of chicks or eggs from nests - which has long been banned everywhere in Europe - is strictly forbidden. 

There are several reasons why raptor nests are repeatedly robbed. On the one hand, the illegal removal of young chicks from the wild saves a lot of time and money that would otherwise be spent on rearing them in captivity. Some "raptor breeders" make fast money in this way. In addition, 'wild' more genetically robust birds of prey have a strong allure for some collectors, so that they prefer wild specimens to captive bred birds. And last but not least, there are species that are extremely difficult to captive breed, such as the Bonelli's Eagle. These are particularly affected by nest robbers across their entire range in order to meet the needs of falconers and bird collectors.

Unfortunately, there are still special permits for the removal of chicks or eggs from the wild under specific bespoke conditions, therefore not every incident is illegal.. although the by far and away the vast majority are!