Taiwan's pigeon fanciers are fighting against the rise of pigeon-nappers. Last year 16 people in separate cases were convicted of pigeon kidnapping-for-ransom in the country's northern Taoyuan region alone.

In December Hsueh Teh-chang was sentenced to 18 months in prison on 48 counts of extortion. Between February and April 2006, Hsueh and two accomplices netted birds, called the telephone numbers on their identification rings and demanded ransoms.

Demands range from NT$300,000 (£4,600) - for 21 birds netted by Hsueh, however failed when the owner refused to pay - to NT$12,000 (£200) for the return of eight birds.

In an effort to combat netters, pigeon fanciers on the island hold offshore races where they liberate up to 35,000 birds from one of their 12 chartered ships. Also many fanciers check the hills for the nets that are used to capture the birds - nets may span up to 1,600 feet in length.