They’re vital for the ecosystem, play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and, for bird lovers, are an ecotourism delight. But in Cyprus, where prolific use of poison bait has made the Griffon vulture virtually extinct, campaigners are taking action. “Island-wide, we had just eight,” says Melpo Apostolidou at BirdLife Cyprus, which is […]
Tag: cyprus
Illegal bird trapping is not only cruel but has no place in a civilised society
It’s returning, creeping into an olive grove or acacia thicket near you. Bird trappers are poised and ready to spread their unique brand of slow death across the countryside once more, if they ever truly vanished… This is an old and tragic story, and you’ve undoubtedly heard the majority of it before. But it’s worth […]
Cyprus urged to ban hunting at coast to protect flamingoes from shotgun pellets
Conservationists in Cyprus are urging authorities to expand a hunting ban throughout a coastal salt lake network, amid concerns that migrating flamingos could swallow lethal quantities of lead shotgun pellets. Martin Hellicar, the director of Birdlife Cyprus, said flamingos were at risk of ingesting the tiny pellets lying on the lakebed as they fed. Like […]
Cypriot police ignore mass killing of protected birds
The massacre of protected birds perpetrated by hunters in Meneou, close to the residential area and the Pyrgos tis Rigenas grows bigger by the day. After the initial recovery of 2 dead Swallows and 72 dead Bee-eaters, plus 2 injured Bee-eaters made by BirdLife Cyprus on Saturday 26th; CABS teams have continued monitoring the area […]
Cyprus Warbler, Photos from Spring 2018
The Cyprus Warbler, (Sylvia melanothorax), is a typical warbler which breeds on Cyprus. The species is a partial migrant, with most birds migrating to north-east Africa and the remainder making short-distance or altitudinal movements to the lowlands and coastal areas of Cyprus. These birds breed in a rather wide range of scrub and maquis, favouring […]
POLL: Should the illegal slaughter of songbirds in Cyprus be stopped?
Only one road runs through the Cypriot village of Xylophagou, and the traffic rarely stops. There is a florist selling dusty ferns in pots, a hardware shop protected by a gaggle of surly-looking youths on mopeds, and a deserted fast-food outlet. The main parade ends at a cafe overlooking a roundabout that leads the way […]
25 million songbirds slaughtered each year in the Mediterranean
The Egyptians line their beaches with fine two-metre high nets that can stretch for miles across the Nile delta and will catch any bird coming close; the Maltese will cover whole trees in nylon; the Cypriots smear branches in glue to stop birds flying; the Italians will kill nearly anything that flies and the French […]
Rare black flamingo spotted in Cyprus
An extremely rare black flamingo has been spotted on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Bird enthusiasts and ordinary folks alike have caught a glimpse of a rare treasure on this east Mediterranean island: a black flamingo amid a flock of birds taking a break from their trek back to summer breeding grounds. The bird stood […]