Shearwater colony walk at Dwejra with DLH and BirdLife

by Gozo News · March 23, 2023

Din l-Art Helwa and BirdLife Malta’s LIFE PanPuffinus! project team are organising a shearwater colony walk at Dwejra, Gozo.

At this time of year Scopoli’s Shearwaters are returning to the cliffs to claim their burrows and meet up with their mate. Shearwaters are often vocal at the colonies once darkness has fallen and listening to their calls is one of the best ways to appreciate these birds locally.

Malta is home to around 3,000 breeding pairs of Scopoli’s Shearwater, and the cliffs of Dwejra and Fungus Rock hold up to 250 pairs.

BirdLife said that in the surrounding cliffs the Yelkouan Shearwater also breeds and with some luck those present might also hear this more threatened shearwater species. LIFE PanPuffinus! is the current seabird project led by BirdLife Malta, focusing on the Yelkouan Shearwater.

The walk will not only be an opportunity to listen to this secretive bird’s calls but also to learn more about them and how we can help in their conservation.

The walk is on Friday, the 21st of April, the meeting time is 6.30pm, with the event starting off at Dwejra Tower.

Din l-Art Helwa will give a tour of the newly-refurbished tower built by the Knights of St John in 1652, while BirdLife Malta staff will give a short presentation on seabirds in the area and in the Maltese Islands.

At the tower there will also be the opportunity to enjoy the sunset from the tower roof before heading on a walk along the cliffs to listen out for shearwaters.

BirdLife said that participants should stay till at least 9.30pm to increase the chances of hearing shearwaters. “Shearwater-calling behaviour is variable and there is no guarantee that participants will hear them, but we are sure it will be an enjoyable experience.”

Dwejra is a Dark Sky Heritage Area and the hope is for clear skies to enjoy the stars too.

“Good footwear and ability to walk on rough terrain close to cliff edges are essential. We will be walking 1.2km on rough and rocky paths back and forth. We will walk back in the dark so surefootedness is essential,” BirdLife said.

BirdLife Malta will provide torches with red light for participants who don’t have any. Red light is used to avoid disturbance, since shearwaters are sensitive to bright light.

“We are visiting a Natura 2000 site, with protected and vulnerable species. Keeping our disturbance to a minimum is essential,” BirdLife said.

€5 donations to Din l-Art Helwa for hosting the event at the tower can be paid in cash on the day or by clicking here.

Participation will be capped to a maximum of 15 persons, so booking is needed. Please book by clicking here to fill in the Google Form. Please note that a separate form must be filled in for each participant.

Please note that children of 15 years or younger have to be accompanied by an adult. In case of unfavourable weather, the event will be postponed to a later date and booked participants will get the first opportunity to rebook.

If you have any questions please email on events@birdlifemalta.org