MANY migratory birds are at risk of extinction due to loss of natural habitat along their flight paths and a study published in the journal Science reveals that more than 90 per cent of the birds are inadequately protected due to poorly co-ordinated conservation efforts around the world.

A typical migratory bird relies on many different geographic locations throughout its annual cycle for food, rest and nesting.

So even if we protect most of their breeding grounds, it’s still not enough when threats from somewhere else can effect their entire population.

For example, many birds migrating to Europe and Britain face the unsustainable killing of their numbers by shooting, glue sticks (glue applied to branches) at roosting sites and mesh netting.

These practices have been outlawed but not enforced because of a traditional backlash against weak-willed politicians fearful of losing office.

As a direct consequence of this weakness at least forty species of birds have been brought to the brink of extinction.

An in-depth study shows the worst offenders as being Egypt where 5.7 million birds are illegally killed each year.

Italy kills 5.6 million illegally.

Syria and Lebanon kill 3.9 and 2.6 million birds respectively.

Cyprus has a death toll of 2.3 million dead birds, Greece 700,000, France 500,000 and the list regrettably goes on claiming robins, skylarks, thrushes, finches and birds of prey.

The list also includes the humble swallow that is said to have comforted Christ on the cross.

Nothing is sacred, the slaughter is relentless.

Please write to your MP and MEPs to save these birds from further persecution.

Our diplomats need to apply pressure on those countries which constantly refuse to enforce agreements using the feeblest of excuses; we are now facing the most serious of all urgencies to safeguard migrating birds across the entire globe!

MIKE FRY Moorland Crescent, Upton, Poole