New research reveals hidden scale of international trade in wild birds from Africa
A new scientific study led by the World Parrot Trust (WPT), in collaboration with researchers at the University of Hong Kong and ADM Capital Foundation, has uncovered the vast and previously overlooked scale of trade in live birds captured in the wild in Africa and exported to Asia for the exotic pet trade.
Published in Conservation Biology, the research uses international customs data to shed new light on the movement of hundreds of thousands of birds which are not protected under international regulations on wildlife trade. The findings highlight significant gaps in monitoring and raise concerns about the sustainability of this trade and risks posed to people, livestock and wildlife.
Drawing on United Nations Comtrade data and detailed import records, the study found that more than one million birds were imported into Hong Kong and Singapore between 2006 and 2020, with African countries accounting for over 65% of birds traded. Many of these species are not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), meaning their trade is largely unregulated and poorly monitored.
While CITES provides a framework for tracking trade in threatened species, the majority of traded birds fall outside its scope. This study demonstrates how customs data can help fill these gaps, revealing trade routes, volumes, and trends that would otherwise remain hidden.
The research shows that a small number of countries in West and East Africa have dominated exports, with trade patterns shifting over time. Species-level data from Hong Kong further revealed that imports are heavily dominated by a handful of songbird species, particularly canaries (genus Crithagra).
Previous WPT research suggests that this is just a snap-shot of the true numbers and diversity of birds leaving Africa, with substantial markets for African birds in the Middle East, south and south-east Asia. This study also showed that a wide range of different species were captured for export, including various waterbirds, Turacos and Hornbills from across 26 avian families.
The scale of this trade raises serious concerns. Birds are often sourced directly from the wild, potentially contributing to population declines and ecosystem impacts. The study also highlights risks to human and animal health, as the movement of live birds can facilitate the spread of infectious diseases, while escaped or released birds can establish invasive populations and disrupt local ecosystems.
The findings reinforce concerns long raised by the World Parrot Trust, which has campaigned for stronger protections for wild birds, highlighting the welfare, conservation, and biosecurity risks associated with this industry. The vast legal trade in birds also creates significant challenges for customs authorities by providing cover for illegal trafficking, enabling rare and threatened species—including parrots—to be laundered through legal supply chains.
Rowan Martin, WPT’s Director of Africa and Bird Trade Programmes and a co-author of the study, said:
“Many countries around the world have already taken steps to protect their natural heritage and to protect people and animals from the spread of infectious diseases by ending trade in wild birds. In light of our findings we urge the governments of countries that still permit this practice to review policies to ensure they are not putting people, economies and ecosystems at risk.”
As WPT continues its mission to safeguard parrots and other birds worldwide, studies like this provide critical evidence to drive policy change and end the unsustainable exploitation of wild birds.
Read the full study, available open access, at the following link. https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cobi.70265
