Save Branta

08/10/2026

Good news for birds across Europe

𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗨!

Just now, the European Parliament approved in plenary the Commission's proposal to restrict lead in gunshot. This decision ends years of debate on one of Europe's most persistent forms of lead pollution.

Once in force, this restriction will ban lead gunshot everywhere, including outside of wetlands and in sport shooting, with a seven-year transition period. It will be applied across the EU, the European Economic Area, and Northern Ireland.

Scientists have known for more than 30 years that lead is highly toxic to wildlife and people, and there is no safe level of exposure. Yet, more than 44.000 tonnes of lead are still scattered across the EU every year through hunting, sport shooting and fishing.

This pollution puts at least 92 bird species at risk and kills approximately 1 million birds every year. Thanks to this restriction, 135 million birds at risk of poisoning and 1 million children at risk of exposure in the EU will be protected.

This is a huge step towards a pollution-free Europe. But the fight is not over. European countries must make sure the restriction is properly implemented.

Marion Bessol, Nature Conservation Policy Officer says: “We have known for decades that lead poisons birds and people, and today Europe has finally acted on it. Lead shot is still the biggest source of lead pollution from am******on, so this is a significant victory for vultures, eagles and swans, and for the children who eat game meat. It rewards everyone who kept pushing, from scientists and hunters to the tens of thousands of citizens who signed our petition. We now want to see it implemented properly on the ground, and we will keep working until lead bullets are covered too."

Read our full press release here: https://www.birdlife.org/news/2026/10/08/lead-gunshot-will-finally-be-banned-across-the-eu-ending-the-largest-remaining-source-of-lead-pollution-from-hunting-and-shooting/

08/10/2026

It is very distressful to inform our supporters that our colleague and long-standing partner in the conservation of the Red-breasted Goose, Dr Sonia Rosenfeld, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in Russia over two donations she made in 2021 to the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) founded by Alexei Navalny. She is one of the leading specialists on Arctic geese and other waterfowl, and her scientific and conservation work has made an important contribution to our shared efforts to understand and protect the Red-breasted Goose and its Arctic breeding grounds.

It is deeply distressing to see a respected scientist and conservationist imprisoned over donations made several years ago, particularly when she has explained that her intention was to support the fight against corruption and that she cancelled the donations after learning that the organisation had been designated “extremist” by the Russian authorities.

PhD ornithologist Sofya Rosenfeld sentenced to 3.5 years for 2,000 roubles in donations to the FBK. For me, this is already the eighth friend or acquaintance, plus two sons of friends from my childhood. That makes 10 people in total.

This was reported by a Mediazona correspondent from the courtroom of Moscow’s Gagarinsky District Court.

The prosecution had requested a five-year prison sentence for 50-year-old Doctor of Biological Sciences Sofya Rosenfeld, senior researcher at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This is the third known case in which a woman has received an actual prison sentence for donations to the FBK.

Rosenfeld is one of the leading specialists on Arctic geese and other waterfowl. The scientist also actively opposed a bill that would weaken the ban on the killing of Red Data Book species.

She was charged with financing an “extremist” organisation over two transfers of 1,000 roubles each, made in August and September 2021. In court, the scientist said that at the time she was on a long scientific expedition without communications and cancelled her subscription as soon as she learned that the FBK had been designated an “extremist” organisation. Her lawyers submitted to the case file a letter she had sent to the foundation asking for the payments to be stopped.

Rosenfeld partially pleaded guilty: she did not deny that she had signed up to make donations, but insisted that she had not intended to support extremism.

“I categorically deny that I shared, firstly, extremist views and, secondly, that there was any criminal intent. When I decided to start supporting the FBK, I was guided exclusively by the desire to fight corruption. Even in my work…”

The judge interrupted her:

“Don’t we have law enforcement agencies for that?”

“I believe that any public assistance is needed here. Because even in my work related to scientific research and nature conservation, I have seen what monstrous forms this evil can take. And it seemed to me that any assistance in the fight against corruption would be a good thing,” the ecologist replied.

After the verdict, Rosenfeld was taken into custody directly from the courtroom.

20/08/2026

A great opportunity for young wetland conservationists!

24/06/2026

🐣 Намерихте малко птиче на земята? Не бързайте да го „спасявате“!

През пролетта и началото на лятото често срещаме млади птици, които подскачат по земята или стоят сами сред тревата. Макар на пръв поглед да изглеждат изоставени, в повечето случаи това е напълно нормален етап от развитието им – родителите са наблизо и продължават да се грижат за тях.

🦉 Особено често хората „спасяват“ малки сови, които естествено напускат гнездото много преди да могат да летят. В повечето случаи те нямат нужда от помощ, а от спокойствие и пространство.

❗ Намеса е необходима само ако птицата е видимо ранена, попаднала е на опасно място или е в непосредствен риск. В такива случаи е важно да се потърси съдействие от компетентните институции и специализираните спасителни центрове.

ℹ️ Съвети как да прецените ситуацията и какво да направите, ако намерите малка или ранена птица, може да намерите тук:
https://bspb.org/tips_young_or_injured_bird/

12/06/2026

https://www.birdlife.org/news/2026/06/12/shared-skies-shared-responsibility-recovering-europes-migratory-birds/

Migratory birds are one of our greatest shared natural treasures, connecting wetlands, coastlines, forests, and communities across our flyways. But many of these species are now in decline. Using scientific modelling, coordinated flyway management, and the legal tools already available under EU law,...

21/05/2026

https://savebranta.org/en/news/successful-tagging-11-red-breasted-geese-northern-kazakhstan-supports-international-flyway-conservation

This spring, a joint team of experts from the ACBK and M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University successfully carried out the capture and satellite tagging of Red-breasted Geese in northern Kazakhstan as part of two international conservation initiatives: the BSPB “Conservation of Key Sites for the...

14/05/2026

Europe’s nature laws are not the problem — weak enforcement and poor implementation are.

At a time when biodiversity loss is accelerating, the EU must strengthen the protection of nature, not weaken it through derogations and the reduction of environmental safeguards under the guise of “cutting administrative burden”.

Healthy wetlands, forests, rivers and seas are essential for biodiversity, climate resilience and people’s wellbeing. What we need is proper implementation of existing legislation, stronger compliance, and adequate resources for conservation action across Europe.

Sign to support Bird and Habitat Directive being intact and working for our own welbeing!

Stop the dismantling of European environmental protections. Stand up for forests, wildlife, clean air, and safe water - our nature depends on it.

25/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Dhhv4qCpu/

24/04/2026

The 2026 Global Campaign Toolkit is here! 🎉🦢🦩

Packed with practical resources and tips linked to this year’s theme “Every Bird Counts - Your Observations Matter! ” the toolkit is a great resource to help you engage in this year’s campaign!

Join World Migratory Bird Day by taking part in citizen science, bird counts, or local events—your observations help track and contribute to migratory bird conservation worldwide.

Get the toolkit here:https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/assets/files/WMBD_2026_Campaign_Toolkit_en.pdf

The toolkit will soon also become available in French and Spanish - stay tuned!

19/04/2026

The Whitley Fund for Nature supported project through the continuation funds is starting it's spring season activities. Soon goose catching time, but some important awareness action has been completed. As part of the project, new informational signboards will be installed to highlight key sites of the red-breasted goose in Kazakhstan. These boards will provide visitors with essential information about the species, its habitat, and the importance of conserving these critical areas. By improving awareness and accessibility, the initiative aims to support ongoing conservation efforts and encourage responsible engagement with these ecologically significant locations.