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 Tuesday. 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. …