30,000 sign to protect songbirds

A PETITION against the capture and eating of small songbirds has gained more than 30,000 signatures.

Bird charity LPO, which lauched the petition, has focused especially on the ortolan bunting, which is traditionally killed cruelly and eaten whole and has lost 84% of its population in western Europe in the last 30 years.

Although hunting the ortolan has been banned in France since 1979 and it has been a protected species since 1999, the illegal practice still continues today on a large-scale, due to it being considered a gastronomic delicacy by some people in parts of the south-west.

Traditionally the birds are eaten with the diner’s head covered by a handkerchief. It is said that this keeps in the aromas and hides the embarrassment of spitting out bones.

As well as the threat to the species, the capture process itself is controversial. LPO’s Carine Bremond said: “The way the birds are captured in metal cages is very cruel. They are very badly treated, and sometimes have broken wings and injured beaks from trying to escape. Afterwards they are fattened up and killed by being drowned in Armagnac.’’

She added: “People do it for financial gain and to keep up the gastronomic traditions of France. There are far too many being killed, up to 30,000 a year, even though it is still completely illegal.”

In the Landes traps are set each year between mid-August and mid-September to capture the birds on their migration route to Africa. They are then passed on to restaurants and can be sold for as much as €150 each.

LPO’s petition has been publicised across European countries, including Spain, Italy, Germany and the UK. It states that the wider problem of songbirds being captured, across the whole of France including Provence and central areas, amounts to a toll of as many as 400,000 a year.

Ms Bremond said: “The goal is to send a letter to President François Hollande, showing him how many people have signed the petition opposing the hunting of this protected species. This will increase the pressure for significant action to be taken.’’

If you would like to sign the petition, see Songbird petition and click the links at the bottom for a version in English or in French.

Photo: Andrej Chudy flickr.com