In the case of illegal trading, or should I say illegal bird trading, birds are generally sold as pets. It is also seldom that owners would purchase two of a different sex, causing reproduction to be impossible. Even if it was possible, the area needed for 3 or more birds to live would be larger, causing owners to either give away the birds or let them free. This leads us to the Food Chain Problem. When the extinction of smaller birds happens, larger birds of prey would have none left to eat. With this happening, vultures and scavengers would be attracted to a site where there are carcasses. Once that occurs, there would be a mass off-balanced scale of wildlife. Once the vultures die out, the atmosphere would become ultimately unclean as vultures are cleaners of the carcasses.

Chased by the rewards of money, hunters and poachers attack animals for valuable skin, fur or body parts. Take ostriches for an example. Ostrich meat is considered a delicacy in Chinese restaurants. In most cases, the ostriches are bred in farms. However, it is sometimes believed that wild ostrich meat is more valuable than farm-bred ones, causing hunters to illegally go into the wild and kill them. When that happens, the ostrich population would decrease.

It is also common to hear of smuggling of birds. Every year, the ICA seizes a massive amount of smuggled birds. Birds of paradise and parrots are the top among the list due to the attractive amount of money they are worth. Most of these birds die across their journey to their destination while the rest are transferred to a wildlife care centre.