More than 3,000 dead wild birds have been discovered in southern Italy and four men have been arrested for illegal hunting.

The discovery was made in a joint operation by the Carabinieri and Environmental Police in Calabria.

"A gang of poachers have been arrested in possession of a truly shocking haul of dead birds," CABS, the Munich-based committee against bird hunting said. 

It said the four men massacred the wild birds in Corigliano Calabro - the very south of mainland Italy and were stopped whilst transferring the birds to customers in Northern Italy.

Their vehicle was found packed with 2,795 greenfinches, goldfinch, crossbills, skylarks, robins, various species of bunting and titmice, as well as woodcock and teal.

In a subsequent house search, police found another 330 dead birds, 600 rounds of ammunition and illegal hunting rifles.