The French Minister of Ecology, Nicolas Hulot has committed to ending the large-scale trapping of Ortolan Bunting, which takes place to meet demand for a cruel dish where the songbird is blinded, plumpened and drowned in brandy. It’s a practice that has driven population declines of up to 84% in Europe since 1980. Around 30,000 […]
In France, the Ortolan Bunting may soon be off the menu Read More »
It’s that time of the year again when we turn our eyes to the skies. Millions of birds are leaving Europe to fly thousands of kilometres towards their wintering places in Africa. Now is the perfect time to head outdoors and tune in to the rhythm of the natural world. Join one of BirdLife Cyprus’
Experience autumn bird migration with BirdLife Cyprus Read More »
Why do birds matter? What is their role in the ecosystem? Why is Cyprus important for them? The new BirdLife Cyprus documentary answers these and more questions… Following the great success of the first screening of its documentary in Nicosia, BirdLife Cyprus, in collaboration with the Cyprus Conservation Foundation – Terra Cypria and with the
Second screening of BirdLife Cyprus documentary ‘Wings on the Wind’ Read More »
Vultures are important. By being nature’s clean-up crew they are an integral part of nature. Thanks to their carrion diet, they prevent the spread of diseases produced by decaying carcasses. Vultures also help cattle ranchers, not only because they clean up the fields, but also because they eliminate the need for the treatment and incineration
Diclofenac is threatening Europe’s vultures. Help us ban it Read More »
Did you know that BirdLife Cyprus has been monitoring the common breeding birds of Cyprus for more than a decade? Birds are sentinels for change in the environment, like the canary in the coal mine, so keeping track of how they are doing is the foundation for monitoring the health of our countryside and for
Ten years of keeping track of our birds Read More »
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to fly like a bird or if you would survive the migration journey of birds? What do you think would help you and what do you think would be a threat or an obstacle on this journey? Now, with the new and free mobile application (app)
Feathered journeys: the wonder of bird migration on your mobile Read More »
In mid-August, a man from the Larnaca district was fined €21.586 for poaching and illegal bird trapping, following the controversial recent law amendment. When the competent authorities searched the 67 year old’s house after catching him red-handed on the 9th of August, they found and confiscated 2 freshly killed hares, 5 young Chukar partridges, 24 Song
€21.586 fine for poaching and illegal bird trapping case Read More »
Vultures are magnificent creatures but too often misunderstood. Their carrion diet is most likely the culprit. Interestingly, their diet is also what makes them an integral part of ecosystems. How? By keeping the system disease-free. Without vultures, carcasses take a long time to decompose and as a result, pathogens and subsequent diseases are more easily
International Vulture Awareness Day Read More »
Migration, the en masse movement of animals from one part of the world to another and back again, is one of the wonders of the natural world. Birds do it, but so do butterflies, fish and mammals. Birds, however, are the masters of long-distance migration and about one quarter of all bird species are migratory.
When we talk about birdsong, we cannot simply refer to a single “voice”. It is a great chorus of complex sounds, it is a real language in itself. The dry “teak” of a sparrow, the plaintive “gheck gheck gheck” of a woodpecker, the shrill “chirrip” of a lark – each sound has its own purpose and is used in very specific circumstances. For birdwatchers, learning how to ‘decode’ the secret language of birds is a great way to identify different species and to better understand their behaviour.
Why do birds sing? Read More »
Cyprus, as a migration corridor for hundreds of thousands of birds of over 200 different species, but also as part of the European and international community, has the obligation to protect wild birds. The new reality, following the approval of specific provisions of the controversial law amendment, unfortunately seems to be moving things in the
The approval of the hunting law amendment and the new reality Read More »
Eight men were handed fines of up to 2500 Euros and four months suspended sentence, after being convicted of illegal bird trapping within the British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs). These sentences are among the highest handed down by a local court for illegal trapping, a serious wildlife crime, and BirdLife Cyprus welcomes the deterrent nature
Bird trappers caught ‘in action’ on camera in SBAs sentenced Read More »
On 19 June the EU environment ministers committed to better implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives, the EU’s flagship nature laws that represent the cornerstone of EU-wide efforts to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity. The four year evaluation “the Fitness Check” of the Nature Directives, where 500 000 citizens, all major political
EU ministers commit to better implementation of nature legislation Read More »
After repeated postponements, the highly controversial law amendment ‘The Protection and Management of Wild Birds and Game Species (Amendment) Law of 2016′ has unfortunately been voted through. This amendment proposal introduces a series of relaxations and loopholes relating to hunting but also illegal bird trapping, a serious and persistent problem in Cyprus. BirdLife Cyprus, the Cyprus Conservation
MPs approve highly controversial hunting law amendment with a shocking majority Read More »
After repeated postponements, the highly controversial hunting law amendment is expected to go to Plenary on Friday 30 June. This amendment proposal introduces a series of relaxations and loopholes relating to hunting but also illegal bird trapping, which is a serious and persistent problem in Cyprus. BirdLife Cyprus, the Cyprus Conservation Foundation Terra Cypria, Friends
The moment of truth: The future of the birds of Cyprus in the hands of the MPs Read More »
With illegal bird trapping in Cyprus on a dramatic rise in the past decade one might wonder whether the persistent and chronic problem of bird trapping on our island will ever stop. A recent visit to Italy however, gave us hope and encouragement in our fight against this problem. Illegal bird killing in the Mediterranean
Visit to Italy gives hope to end illegal bird killing in Cyprus Read More »
The Griffon Vulture is the largest bird of prey in Cyprus and also the most threatened. The population is at a worryingly low level and breeding pairs scarce. In early June, three active vulture nests were found, one in Pafos district in an area where a significant colony of the species used to exist in the
At last, some good news for Cyprus vultures Read More »
Nesting during this season in the scrub and cliffs of Cape Greco are two very important bird species: the Cyprus Wheatear and Cyprus Warbler. Birdwatchers from all over the world visit our island to enjoy them, since they breed only in Cyprus. Although this important area is protected as part of the Natura 2000 network,
When nature protection is only on paper: the case of Cape Greco Read More »
Today nature won over pesticides…but by default. By not reaching the required majority to approve the blocking resolution by AGRI Committee members Mr. Dess (EPP, DE) and Mr. Agnew (EFDD, UK), the European Parliament automatically supported the European Commission’s delegated act that proposes to ban the use of pesticides in Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs). EFAs
Nature wins despite MEP apathy Read More »
Sounding the alarm for possible referral of Cyprus to the EU court The future of wild birds in Cyprus and the prevention of a penalty from the European Union are now at the hands of the Plenary of the Cyprus Parliament, which is meeting on Friday, 9 June 2017. More specifically, ‘The Protection and Management
The future of birds at the Cyprus Parliament Read More »
On Friday 12 May 2017, BirdLife Cyprus volunteers and staff, together with the Game and Fauna Service, carried out the annual spring census of the Griffon Vulture. The team of 20 observers covered eight look-out points spread across the vulture feeding range and known breeding and roosting cliffs, while the Game and Fauna Service set
Things may be looking up for Griffon Vultures Read More »
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