Cyprus trapper’s slaughtered over one million song birds last year

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Whilst it is illegal in Cyprus to trap and slaughter songbirds, more than one million birds were slaughtered last year according to Birdlife Cyprus.
 

Many of the birds are eaten as a delicacy in local Tavernas and Restaurants, even though trapping and consumption is strictly banned.
 
The birds are normally wrapped in vine leaves and served as a dish known as "ampelopoulia" for up to €5 each.
 

Cyprus lies on a main migratory route where trapping has been commonplace for years. A report by Birdlife Cyprus and Britain's Royal Society for the protection of Birds, has been submitted to the wildlife committee of the Council of Europe, the Cypriot Government and the European Commission.
 

The birds are lured by recordings of birdsongs and trapped using fine mist nets spread over tree tops or with lime sticks placed in bushes.
  

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