One million migratory birds slaughtered in Cyprus

NICOSIA, (Reuters) – More than 1.1 million  songbirds prized as culinary delicacies were illegally slaughtered by trappers in Cyprus in the past year, a  conservation group said yesterday.

Cyprus lies on a key migratory route and bird trapping has  been commonplace for years. Trappers use either fine mist nets  or sticks dipped in sticky lime.

“The figure is an unacceptable toll which ever way you look  at it,” said Martin Hellicar, executive manager for Birdlife  Cyprus. Many of the birds are served up as expensive delicacies in  local restaurants, even though trapping and consumption is  strictly banned, the group said.

Although the overall figure in trappings appeared unchanged  for 2008 compared to 2007, there was a 50 percent spike in  trappings during the winter of 2008 compared to the same season  a year earlier, Hellicar said.