Call for Tender: Study on illegal killing of birds (IKB) and unsustainable hunting practices in connection with hunting tourism
We are looking for a Consultant to conduct an in-depth analysis of the relationship between hunting tourism and illegal and unsustainable killing of birds.
Application deadline
Tuesday, 30 September 2025 – 23:45
Location
Remote
Contract
10 Months
Budget
EUR 30 000 (thirty thousand euro), including all fees, travel and all other costs and excluding VAT
Background
Hunting tourism is an established practice in most countries, with both legal and, sadly, sometimes illegal dimensions in the way it operates. While often promoted as a source of rural income and cultural tradition, it can also create conservation challenges. In particular, the lack of proper enforcement, unfamiliarity with local legislation and fauna and vested interest can enable practices leading to killing bird species illegally. It can also undermine conservation activities being delivered nationally across migratory routes.
This issue is particularly relevant in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe, where bird hunting is popular and a high proportion of hunters travel abroad. Activities linked to hunting tourism can increase risks for species in unfavourable conservation status or protected species that may be confused with game species.
BirdLife International, together with its Partners and relevant stakeholders, is launching this study to better understand how hunting tourism intersects with illegal killing of birds, with the goal of providing actionable recommendations to national governments and international organisations.
Objective of the Consultancy
The consultant will conduct an in-depth analysis of the relationship between hunting tourism and illegal and unsustainable killing of birds, focusing on:
- Understanding practices and challenges through direct engagement with stakeholders.
- Reviewing existing national and international legislation governing hunting tourism, working with national partners.
- Developing recommendations for mitigating risks of illegal killing and unsustainable taking associated with hunting tourism.
Scope of Work
The consultant is expected to
- 1. Conduct a survey via questionnaires within the Mediterranean to identify countries where tourism hunting is considered an issue
- 2. Stakeholder interviews
- Conduct detailed interviews with 5-6 BirdLife Partner organisations and 3-4 external stakeholders (e.g. IMPEL, FACE, other relevant actors).
- Gather insights on experiences, challenges, and solutions related to IKB associated with hunting tourism.
- 3. Legislative review
- Assess regulatory frameworks relevant to hunting tourism and hunting practices.
- Identify gaps, inconsistencies, and opportunities for improved enforcement and cooperation.
- 4. Analysis and recommendations
- Analyse how hunting tourism contributes to illegal killing and unsustainable taking of birds, map the overview of the problem across the Mediterranean.
- Identify key “source” country – “destination” country pairings that would be a priority to address.
- Propose clear, evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice to mitigate these risks.
- Work with the relevant partners in key “source” country – “destination” country pairings to develop recommendations for future project activities for at least one ‘pairing’ of countries
Expected Deliverables
- Comprehensive report in English summarising findings, including stakeholder perspectives, legal analysis, and recommendations.
- Policy brief(s) in English targeted at national governments, EU institutions, other relevant policy instruments and international organisations.
- Webinar presentation for BirdLife organizations
Timeline
- Start date: November 2025
- End date: August 2026
- Duration: 10 months
Budget
The maximum budget allocated to this contract is fixed at EUR 30 000 (thirty thousand euro), including all fees, travel and all other costs and excluding VAT. Any offers received that do not respect this maximum budget will be automatically excluded from the evaluation procedure.
Skills and Experience Required
- Proven expertise in biodiversity conservation, wildlife law, or environmental policy.
- Demonstrated experience conducting stakeholder interviews and synthesising complex information.
- Strong knowledge of hunting practices and/or bird conservation issues in Europe and the Mediterranean.
- Experience of working with diverse stakeholders
- Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills.
Application Process
Interested consultants are invited to submit the following by 30 September 2025:
- A CV highlighting relevant experience.
- A short technical proposal (max. 5 pages) outlining the methodology and approach and a detailed activity schedule.
- A financial proposal (including daily rate and estimated number of working days against associated activities). The financial proposal should be aligned with the proposed technical actions.
Applications should be sent by email to [email protected] with the subject line: Call for Tender – Hunting Tourism Study
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further discussions leading to the final selection.
Once selected, the consultant will be required to refine their study methodology based on feedback from the engagement team and submit the final version within one week of contracting.