The derogatory hunting of finches and starlings in Lombardy was suspended by the Council of State, which accepted the appeal presented by various animal rights and environmental associations including Lac, Lav, Enpa, Lipu, Lndc and WWF Italia. The decision temporarily cancels the regional resolution of 14 July 2025, with which the council had authorized the killing of 97,637 finches and 36,552 starlings for the period 1 October – 30 November 2025.
The provision overturns the decision of the Lombardy Regional Administrative Court, which in September rejected the request for suspension. Now the issue returns to the table of the administrative court for a hearing on the merits, called to clarify whether the regional resolution is truly compatible with Italian and European regulations on the protection of fauna.
For the Council of State, adequate reasons are lacking
According to the judges of Palazzo Spada, the Region’s arguments are not sufficiently motivated, in particular with respect to the “absence of other satisfactory solutions”, a requirement required by the European Union Birds Directive (2009/147/EC). In practice, Lombardy would have authorized hunting without demonstrating that non-lethal alternatives did not exist to manage the presence of the birds.
Another issue concerns the definition of “small quantity”, the criterion that limits withdrawals in the exemptions. ISPRA had indicated that 581,302 finches and 230,242 starlings could be collected throughout Italy, but the Council of State judged these numbers to be “relatively small” and not clearly compatible with the protection of the species. Hence the doubt about the actual legitimacy of the regional measure.
The ball goes back to the TAR, but the chase stops
While awaiting the judgment on the merits, the Council of State decided to immediately suspend the Lombard resolution, effectively blocking the hunting of the two birds for the entire 2025 season. A decision that represents a significant victory for the environmentalist front and a warning for the other Regions that adopt similar measures. For now, therefore, finches and starlings fortunately remain safe from rifles.
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