31.07.26
One flock, flying in formation.
A small but dedicated team of Naturewatch Foundation staff recently attended Global Birdfair 2026, held from 10–12 July on the beautiful banks of Rutland Water. Known as the world’s largest celebration of birds and nature conservation, the event brought together wildlife charities, conservation organisations, bird enthusiasts, photographers, and nature lovers from across the UK and beyond. This year’s Birdfair also highlighted vital international work to protect endangered bird species and habitats.
Despite high temperatures throughout the weekend, more than 14,000 people attended the three-day event. The atmosphere was wonderful, and our stand remained busy from the moment the gates opened until closing time each day. It was great to meet so many passionate people who share our commitment to protecting animals.
The wise old owl: promoting better animal welfare
Our primary aims at Global Birdfair were to raise awareness of Naturewatch Foundation’s Target Crime Not Wildlife campaign, advance animal welfare, and speak with members of the public about our campaigns to protect animals in the UK and internationally.
Given the theme of the event, our Target Crime Not Wildlife campaign generated a huge amount of interest. Sadly, we continue to see catapults deliberately misused to injure and kill birds, companion animals, and other wildlife.
We were encouraged by the number of visitors who discussed the issue, shared their experiences, and supported our calls for stronger action.
The sky’s the limit: launching our new call to action
Global Birdfair also offered the perfect opportunity to launch our latest call to action.
We are calling on Amazon and eBay to introduce responsible retail policies by preventing the sale of catapults to anyone under eighteen. While catapults can have legitimate uses, they are too easily obtained by young people and are increasingly being used to harm wildlife.
Age restrictions would be a simple but meaningful step towards reducing animal cruelty and helping to protect vulnerable species.
Many visitors were keen to support the campaign, and we are thankful to those who signed up to help us encourage both companies to take greater responsibility.
A bird’s-eye view: wildlife crime on the main stage
On Saturday, Jim moderated a wildlife crime panel on the main stage. Alongside animal welfare sector colleagues, he presented a lecture entitled “Wildlife Abuse: A Life of Crime”, which focused mainly on the misuse of catapults while also exploring wider wildlife crime issues. The panel covered political campaigning, stakeholder engagement, enforcement and intelligence, frontline casework, and education and prevention.
Audience interest was so high that there was not enough time to answer every question, so many attendees visited our stand afterwards to continue the conversation.
The early bird catches the worm: encouraging responsible retailing
Alongside our campaign aimed at online retailers, we encouraged visitors to contact Mole Valley Farmers and ask them to become an industry leader in responsible retailing by adopting similar age restrictions on catapult sales.
Mole Valley Farmers is a large agricultural supplies business, predominantly based in South West England, which sells catapults. Whilst there is no indication that catapults purchased there are being misused to harm wildlife, a business of their size could help support responsible selling practices.
We believe businesses have a significant role to play in preventing wildlife crime, and we hope to encourage more retailers to put animal welfare first.
Feathering the future: thank you
A huge thank you goes to everyone who visited our stand, signed our petitions, shared their stories, and took time to learn more about our campaigns. Your support strengthens our determination to keep fighting for better protection for wildlife.
We would also like to thank Megan McCubbin, our most recent patron, for stopping by the stand. Jim, our Campaigns Manager, and Campaign Assistant Eve briefed Megan on the campaign and our call to action. David Lindo, also known as The Urban Birder, also took time out of his busy schedule to show his support.
The conversations we had over the three days showed a growing public appetite for stronger action against wildlife crime. Together, we can ensure catapults are used responsibly, retailers play their part in preventing misuse, and birds and wildlife receive the protection they deserve.
Whilst we wait for the government to act on the findings of the recent catapult roundtable, it is important to keep the momentum going. You may not have visited us at Global Birdfair, but you can still support our campaign by adding your voice to our calls for Amazon, eBay, and Mole Valley Farmers.
Click here to email Amazon and eBay
Click here to email Mole Valley
Together, we are stronger; together, we can direct change.
