British song thrushes 'wiped out in Cyprus'

Hundreds of thousands of one of Britain's best-loved songbirds have been slaughtered by hunters on Cyprus.

The song thrushes were massacred after millions migrated from Europe and Turkey to escape harsh weather in January, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has revealed.

Up to 800,000, equivalent to almost half the breeding population of thrushes in Britain, are thought to have been shot on the first day of the killing orgy.Under Cyprus laws, the birds can be hunted legally on Wednesdays and Sundays from November to February.

Guy Shorrock, an RSPB investigations officer, said: "It appears millions of thrushes flew on to Cyprus and tens of thousands of hunters went out and shot a large percentage of them." He added that the number of songbirds killed this year in Cyprus could exceed 20 million when trappers begin next month setting nets and sticks coated with a glue-like substance for migrating warblers, such as blackcaps.

Some are sold in restaurants as ambelopoulia, an island delicacy, for up to £1.50 each, while others are pickled for sale in markets, where a jar of 12 can go for up to £13.