Bird trapping in Italy
In many regions of Italy illegal bird trapping persists to this day. The use of nets remains widespread, but limesticks and other traps can still also be found. Live birds are typically sold to "bird lovers" or to hunters who use them as caged live decoys. Dead birds end up in the kitchen - often sold to restaurants on the black market where they are served under the counter or behind closed doors to well-known guests. Bird trapping in Italy is particularly prevalent in the Southern Alps and the coast from Naples to Messina as well as on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.
The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) collects >2,000 bird traps every year during our bird protection camps in Italy alone. The number of traps found continues to fall - as a great success success of our work!
Bow traps
Bow traps once existed all over Europe, today they can only be found in the Italian province of Brescia. They are used to catch robins.
Snap traps
Snap traps function in much the same way as a mousetrap. They are used to catch songbirds in the Alps and on the coast around Naples.
Stone-crush traps
Stone traps are still permitted in France, but strictly forbidden in Italy. Fortunately, they have become rare and can only be found in Pavia.
Horsehair snares
Horsehair snares are set up in Sardinia and - very rarely - in the Apennines to catch thrushes, warblers and robins.
Nets
In northern Italy, mist nets are used to catch birds to be used as live decoys, in the south clap nets are used to catch "cage birds".
Roccoli
All Italian roccoli - giant nets for the capture of decoy birds - are currently not in operation. But that can change quickly.