caged birds

[lady_tanksalot]

went on holiday to Gozo earlier this year, and one evening while out for a walk we came across a field surrounded by a wall. dotted along the wall at about 2 meter intervals were very small cages, each containing a small bird.
we couldn't get close enough to see if they were traps or someone had actually put them there.
later in the holiday we drove past a shop selling nothing but the cages.

anyone got any ideas what was doing on?

 

[KentBlokey]

Gozo. In the Canaries?

 

[lady_tanksalot]

just off the coast of Malta, and they definatly weren't canaries

 

[Erised]

Ironically and sadly one passion of the Maltese is to shoot birds as they migrate across from Africa (Malta is quite close to Tunisia and Libya in northern Africa). They will shoot just about anything that flies including little finches. Another tact used by the Maltese is to take some birds that were captured alive and place them in cages outside on the ground. Above the cages they set up nets. As birds migrate across the land they hear their little buddies chattering in the cages down below and figure it might be a good place to land in rest. As they descend they are caught in the nets and then sold as pets. Wildlife people are very irritated at the Maltese for doing this but it's been going on for so long it will probably never stop.

source: Web Travel Guide

Perhaps that has something to do with it?

--Edit--
Been reading up on it more, and am now pretty convinced that's it =/
Also, it seems the nets aren't always used, birds just get caught, sold and shot.

 

[lady_tanksalot]

thanks erised

I wanted to go let them all loose but there was a big nasty dog giving me evils when ever i got too close

its sooo sad that they do that