Officers swoop on man with more than 3,000 bird eggs, including from one of Australia's rarest birds (2024)

A European operation into the illegal bird trade has led Australian authorities to a collection of more than 3,000 eggs in Hobart, including some labelled as coming from rare and endangered birds.

On July 9, environmental crime investigators seized 3,404 hollowed eggs — believed to be worth $400,000 to $500,000 — from a Granton property.

A spokesperson from the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said a 62-year-old man was being investigated.

"[The man] is alleged to have been involved in the collection and harvesting of bird eggs from the wild and trading of both Australian native and CITES-listed bird eggs with people overseas," the spokesperson said.

"The man is a Tasmanian-based Australian citizen and is alleged to have traded eggs with a person in Europe."

No arrests have been made at this stage.

The European operation that triggered this raid has led to more than 56,000 eggs being seized.

It will be alleged that the Tasmanian man had sent native Australian eggs taken from wild nests, in an exchange with at least one of the European offenders.

Analysis of the eggs is now underway to confirm what species the eggs belong to, but they are believed to include rare and threatened species facing a high extinction risk.

Investigators believe they include eggs from the forty-spotted pardalote, which is found only in Tasmania, the swift parrot, and the shy albatross.

Scientists estimate there may only be about 1,000 forty-spotted pardalotes left.

The analysis will predominantly be physical examination of the eggs, but DNA identification is also possible.

The eggs in this collection were all blown eggs, with the egg white and yolk removed.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) estimates international wildlife trade is worth billions of dollars – ranging from live animals, to products derived from them.

More than 40,000 species are covered by the agreement, with more than 180 countries agreeing – including Australia.

'Skilled operators' amassing egg collections

Tasmanian ecologist Dr Sally Bryant said egg collecting "was probably happening more than any of us realise".

"It was a hobby and pastime in the 1800s, 1900s, right up until the 1960s [it] was a thing," she told ABC Mornings.

"We're well aware of these sorts of activities, but they're very, very outdated — they are morally, ethically, legally corrupt."

She said collections of this size were put together by "skilled operators" over "many years".

As an ecologist, she works with the forty-spotted pardalote, noting how difficult the eggs are to collect.

"To collect eggs that are less than 2 centimetres in size from a nest high in a tree, you might have to chop the tree down, or chop the nest out — you cannot access the hollow with your hand," she said.

Seabird and shorebird ecologist Eric Woehler said eggs tended to become even more valuable when the species was in decline, making it harder for population numbers to bounce back.

"So there's an even greater incentive to collect these eggs before they become extinct. It's a perversity that reinforces just how catastrophic this egg collection process is," Dr Woehler said.

He said sting operations such as the one that cracked this network, show the problems being recognised.

What's being done about it?

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said illegal trafficking and wildlife crime was fast becoming a threat to species already at risk of extinction.

"We have to stamp out this terrible trade which sees our native animals captured in the Aussie bush and sent overseas to be sold," she said.

There are hefty penalties in place for breaking the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act.

The interference of threatened and migratory birds can carry a penalty of seven years imprisonment, a fine of $138,600 or both.

The export of Australian native specimens, including eggs, and the export or import of specimens, including eggs, on the CITES list has a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment, a fine $330,000, or both.

The possession of CITES-listed specimens, including eggs, can carry a penalty of five years imprisonment, a fine of $330,000 or both.

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