Birds have, for centuries, been captured from the wild to be kept in cages—valued for their looks, songs and ability to imitate sounds. Data compiled by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the global agreement that regulates trade in threatened animals and plants, indicate that in the 1990s and early 2000s Africa was a leading supplier of live birds to global markets. Most were captured from the wild and sold to western European countries.