Leaving is Living: The Story of the Campaign Against Illegal Bird Killing
"Leaving is Living" was a LIFE+ campaign against the illegal killing of migratory birds around the Mediterranean. Its message was simple: for a migratory bird, being allowed to leave — to migrate safely — is the difference between life and death.
Why the campaign was needed
Every year, millions of migratory birds are illegally shot, trapped or poisoned around the Mediterranean basin. Honey buzzards, storks and songbirds that survive thousands of kilometres of migration die at the last hurdle — on islands and coasts where poaching is a tradition.
The campaign brought together BirdLife partners — LIPU in Italy, HOS in Greece and others — with enforcement agencies, schools and local communities to tackle the problem on every front at once.
What the campaign did
- Anti-poaching patrols that removed thousands of traps from hotspots like the Sulcis woods in Sardinia.
- A travelling exhibition, "Journey in the Air", shown in cities across Greece and Italy.
- Environmental education programmes in schools on Corfu, Zakynthos and in Calabria.
- Public events such as the "Safe Haven for Wild Birds" open days in Sardinia.
- A viral video and celebrity support that carried the message far beyond the birding world.
Campaign pillars and results
| Pillar | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Enforcement | Joint patrols, dog units | ~3,000 traps removed in Sulcis |
| Education | School programmes, seminars | Thousands of pupils reached |
| Awareness | Exhibitions, viral video | National media coverage |
| Rehabilitation | Rescue and release centres | Hundreds of birds returned to the wild |
The legacy in 2026
The project ended, but its model — combining enforcement, education, awareness and rehabilitation — became the standard approach for BirdLife partners fighting illegal bird killing across the Mediterranean flyway.
This site continues the campaign's work as a news project: reporting on Red Data Book species, conservation victories and the ongoing fight against poaching, so that leaving is living remains true for every migrant.