Convention for the Protection of Birds Useful to Agriculture Document type Multilateral Field of application Regional/restricted Date Mar 19, 1902 Source IUCN (ID: TRE-000067) Title (French) Convention pour la protection des oiseaux utiles à l'agriculture Title (Spanish) Convención para la protección de los pájaros útiles a la agricultura Title (Other) Übereinkunft zum Schutz der für die Landwirtschaft nützlichen Vögel Place of adoption Paris Depository France Language French Entry into force Dec 6, 1905 Subject Wild species & ecosystems, Land & soil Keyword Hunting/capture Protection of species Birds Agricultural land Geographical area Europe Comment Objective: To preserve birds useful to agriculture. Summary of provisions: Article 1 sets out the principle by which birds that are useful to agriculture, especially insectivores, and particularly those mentioned in List N° 1, are to enjoy absolute protection; it is forbidden to kill them at any time and in any manner, or to destroy their nests, eggs or hatching. Until this protection is implemented everywhere and altogether, the Contracting Parties agree to take or propose the necessary dispositions to ensure the implementation of the measures exposed in the following articles. It is forbidden to take away nests, take eggs, capture or destroy hatches at any time and by any means. Moreover, are to be forbidden, inter alia, the import, transit, transport, sale or purchase of nests, eggs or hatch except when the nests are inside or against houses, buildings or inside courtyards (art. 2) as well as the setting and use of traps, cages, nets, and any other means used to facilitate capture or mass destruction of birds (art. 3). If Parties cannot implement these prohibitions immediately, they may lessen them; however, they undertake to restrain the use of methods, devices and means for capture and destruction to progressively implement the measures of article 3 (art. 4). Aside from the general prohibitions of article 3, it is forbidden to take or kill, release or sell, from March 1st to September 15th of each year, the birds mentioned on List N°1. If their legislation allows it, Contracting Parties undertake to prohibit the entry and transit of the said birds as well as their transport during the period mentioned above (art. 5). The competent authorities may exceptionally grant owners or managers of e.g. vineyards, orchards, or fields, the temporary right to shoot with a firearm birds whose presence would be harmful and would cause real damage. It remains forbidden to release or sell the birds killed in these conditions (art. 6). Under certain conditions, competent authorities may grant exceptions to the provisions of this Convention for scientific purposes or for re-population. With the same precaution measures, the capture, sale, and custody of birds intended to be held in a cage may be permitted (art. 7). The provisions of this Convention do not apply to barnyard birds or game birds existing in a hunting preserve. Institutional mechanisms: When it will be deemed necessary, the Contracting Parties will send representatives to an international meeting to examine the questions that are raised by the implementation of the Convention and to propose modifications whose experience will have demonstrated usefulness (art. 12). (Source: IUCN ELC, 08.2005) Full text English French Spanish Website www.admin.ch Country/Territory/Participant See Expanded View Show Map Countries Entry into force Ratification * Simple signature Austria Dec 6, 1906 Dec 6, 1905 [1] Mar 19, 1902 Czechoslovakia Apr 3, 1924 Apr 3, 1924 [2] - France Dec 6, 1906 Dec 6, 1905 [1] Mar 19, 1902 Germany Dec 6, 1906 Dec 6, 1905 [1] Mar 19, 1902 Hungary Dec 6, 1906 Dec 6, 1905 [1] Mar 19, 1902 Liechtenstein Dec 6, 1906 Dec 6, 1905 [1] Mar 19, 1902 Monaco Dec 6, 1906 Dec 6, 1905 [1] Mar 19, 1902 Poland May 11, 1932 May 11, 1932 [2] - Portugal Apr 18, 1907 Apr 18, 1907 [1] Mar 19, 1902 Switzerland Dec 6, 1906 Dec 6, 1905 [1] Mar 19, 1902 * [1] Ratification [2] Accession/approbation [3] Acceptance/approval [4] Succession [5] Consent to be bound [6] Definite signature reset zoom out zoom in Other references Literature 3 records related to this treaty. View literature