Ambelopoulia () is a controversial dish of grilled, fried, pickled or boiled

songbirds A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passerine, Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes co ...

which is a traditional dish enjoyed by native Cypriots and served in some Cypriot restaurants. It is illegal in

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

as it involves trapping wild birds such as

blackcap The Eurasian blackcap (''Sylvia atricapilla'') is a bird usually known simply as the blackcap. It is a common and widespread typical warbler. It has mainly olive-grey upperparts and pale grey underparts, and differences across the five subspec ...

s and

European robin The European robin (''Erithacus rubecula''), known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in the British Isles, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that belongs to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found across Europe, ea ...

s. Trapping kills birds indiscriminately, thus internationally protected species of migratory birds are killed as well. Enforcement of the ban has been lax, so many restaurants serve the dish without consequence. As a result, about 2.4 million birds across Cyprus are estimated to have been killed during 2010. According to a BirdLife Cyprus report released in 2014, over 1.5 million migrating songbirds are killed annually, and the number is increasing each year. In 2015 it was estimated that over 2 million birds were killed, including over 800,000 on the British territories

Akrotiri and Dhekelia Akrotiri and Dhekelia (), officially the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (SBA), is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory made of two non-contiguous areas on the island of Geography of Cyprus, Cyprus. The area ...

and a further 800,000 on them in autumn 2016. The birds are trapped in either of two ways. One method uses black, fine-mesh nylon fishing nets, which are difficult to see, strung between planted

acacia ''Acacia'', commonly known as wattles or acacias, is a genus of about of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa, South America, and Austral ...

trees. Electronic bird calls lure the birds to entangle their wings and legs, or alternatively gravel is brought in by truck and is thrown at the base of the trees to scare the birds into the nets. The other trapping method uses glue sticks made either from the berries of a local tree or

birdlime Birdlime or bird lime is an adhesive substance used in Animal trapping, trapping birds. It is spread on a branch or twig, upon which a bird may land and be caught. Its use is illegal in many jurisdictions. Manufacture Historically, the substanc ...

. The glue sticks are placed on the branches of trees, and any birds that perch on them are stuck until the trapper returns to kill them (usually with a tooth pick to the throat). Often the legs of the birds are so stuck to the glue sticks that they need to be pulled off. Protests against the removal of acacia scrub have resulted in remaining in 2016, compared with in 2014. The trappers defend their activity by citing the practice as traditional Cypriot food gathering and claiming that this has been an important source of protein for the natives for many thousands of years, even though the practice has been illegal since 1974.

BirdLife BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding i ...

Cyprus has identified restaurants as the main culprits as they provide the financial incentives. The enthusiasm Cypriots and many other visitors to the island have for this delicacy despite its illegality has resulted in the development of a very profitable industry. Poaching for ambelopoulia has been on the rise in recent years, involving by 2011 a "mafia-like operation" that include poachers, dealers, exporters, and restaurant operators that participate in the illegal business estimated to be worth about 5 million euro at that time. The birds reportedly sell for five euros each and it is estimated by Cypriot authorities to have earned criminals on the island 15 million euro in 2015. Since the entrails of the birds are not removed, as it is not cost-effective to do so, the consumer is encouraged to swallow the bird whole. Unsuspecting diners may be served much cheaper farmed birds such as immature quails by some restaurants.

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* {{cite magazine, url= http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/07/26/100726fa_fact_franzen , first= Jonathan , last= Franzen, authorlink= Jonathan Franzen, title= Emptying the Skies, magazine=

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

, publisher= , date= July 26, 2010, access-date= Cypriot cuisine Meat Bird migration Bird mortality

See also

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