Wiesbaden/Frankfurt – Catching and trading in illegally caught songbirds is becoming more and more of a problem in Hesse. It is also difficult to fight and almost impossible to control.
In Germany, only bred wild birds may be traded. Nevertheless, the animals are illegally caught and sold. “The prevention of illegal capture of songbirds is difficult because the protective measures often represent an encroachment on the habitat of wild animals and songbirds,” explains a spokeswoman for the State Criminal Police Office (LKA).
According to the observations of the “Committee Against Bird Killing” association, the illegal wild-caught business often involves native finches such as goldfinches, siskins or bullfinches. If you want to buy a bred bird, you should pay attention to the right species protection ring. Suspicious displays should be reported to the appropriate conservation authority. Likewise, anyone who observes a possible illegal capture of the animals should inform the responsible regulatory authorities for environmental and nature conservation, the LKA asks.
Conservationists have been on the subject for a long time: Bernd Petri, ornithologist and co-chairman of Nabu Hessen is already talking about criminal networks where the animals are offered for sale – mostly inconspicuously via classifieds portals on the Internet. “It’s alarming, that’s noticeable,” explains Maik Sommerhage, an expert in bird protection at the Naturschutzbund (Nabu) Hessen: “A black market where you can earn a few marks.”
Proceedings discontinued despite notification
As a bird breeder, also from Hesse, tells us, there are even dealers who put a ring around the foot of wild animals they have caught to give the impression of breeding that conforms to the rules.
“If you ask for documents, you always get the same answer: you don’t get any papers,” says the breeder. Songbirds such as bullfinches (gimpel) are available for around 80 euros, for example. Illegal catchers can earn faster money than with birds they breed themselves.
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“Illegal catches or the trade in birds are often prosecuted only laxly,” says Bernd Petri from Nabu. “If you look at the judgments, they are far too low. It should be punished more severely!”.
In February of this year, the Frankfurt public prosecutor’s office dropped proceedings against a man who had been reported by the animal rights organization Peta. After that he is said to have caught several goldfinches in Frankfurt and then offered them for sale as pets…