45% of all bird species traded globally; Parrots, falcons, hawks, owls and hornbills at risk

Mumbai: The most heavily traded groups of birds include parrots, raptors, wildfowl, hornbills and owls.

A recent review, led by BirdLife scientists, has provided the first quantitative global assessment of wild birds in trade.

By mobilising the largest available datasets of birds in trade and collecting new data, they were able to show that 45 per cent of all bird species, and 37 per cent of globally threatened species, have been recorded in trade.

Although only a relatively low proportion of songbirds were recorded in trade, songbirds comprise around 60 per cent of all the world’s bird species, meaning that they accounted for the highest overall number of traded species of any order of birds.

Furthermore, songbirds have particularly poor representation in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) appendices relative to the number of traded species.

“Wild birds are used by people for many purposes, including food, clothing, ornamentation, religious practices, sport, and, perhaps most prevalently, as pets. The trade that supplies this huge demand is recognised as a significant driver of biodiversity loss; some species are now on the brink of extinction due to unsustainable extraction. The movement across international borders of large numbers of wild birds also poses wider environmental risks,” says a report of BirdLife International.

For example, many populations of invasive and often problematic species owe their existence to wild-caught birds that have escaped or been released from international trade. Notable examples include feral populations of parrots and parakeets in parts of Europe and North America.

Beyond these conservation implications, the global trade in wild birds introduces substantial public health risks. International trade can speed the spread of zoonotic diseases – for example, trade in bats has been implicated in the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, trade raises acute animal welfare concerns; birds are frequently transported in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions with inadequate provision of food and water. Many thousands die before they ever reach their intended destinations.

Results indicate that around 45 per cent of all bird species are traded to varying degrees, with almost 10 per cent experiencing high trade pressure. Parrots, falcons, hawks, owls and hornbills were particularly likely to be traded.

"Although only a relatively low proportion of songbirds were recorded in trade, songbirds comprise around 60 per cent of all the world’s bird species, meaning that they accounted for the highest overall number of traded species of any order of birds. Particularly high numbers of traded songbirds occur in South East Asia and across Eurasia.

In contrast, the highest numbers of traded non-songbirds are found in South America, sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent," the BirdLife report said.