BirdLife Malta has highlighted that the tracking of rehabilitated birds has ”shown strong potential for Malta” and has launched an appeal over safety as the hunting season opens.

Through its collaboration with the Malta Environment Foundation under the Wings of Hope project, BirdLife Malta said it has been tracking four Common Kestrels rehabilitated after being shot during the last autumn hunting season.

Released after the close of the hunting season, the birds have since thrived, revealing detailed insights into their behaviour. However, the organisation said that with the spring hunting season opening this Monday, the 13th of April, three of these kestrels remain in the Maltese Islands, raising concerns over their safety.

The four kestrels were rescued after illegal shooting and underwent months of veterinary care before release. Two were released during a public event at Foresta 2000 on the 10th of February – deliberately after the hunting season ended on the 31st of January to reduce risk – while the other two followed in subsequent weeks, BirdLife Malta said.

All birds were fitted with GPS-GSM tags by bird ringers, transmitting data on location, speed and body temperature, allowing researchers to monitor feeding, roosting and potential migration.

In Malta, Common Kestrels are mostly observed during migration between Africa and Europe, though some overwinter and a few may even breed if given the opportunity. the organisation noted that ”illegal hunting remains a major threat.”

Last year, 28 shot kestrels were recovered by BirdLife Malta and police,it said – ”likely only a fraction of those illegally killed for taxidermy or to prevent interference with trapping.” The four tagged birds are among those that survived and were successfully returned to the wild.

Kestrels are adaptable birds of prey, feeding on insects, small birds, mammals and reptiles, often seen hovering before descending on their prey. They occupy rural landscapes, nesting in trees, cliffs and abandoned buildings.

BirdLife Malta said that tracking has shown Malta offers suitable habitat, with birds spending up to two months in areas such as the notorious hunting grounds of Mizieb and Ahrax taking advantage of afforested areas and surrounding open land for feeding and roosting. This highlights their potential to become regular breeding birds if left unscathed.

Of the four birds, one female that had settled in Fiddien crossed to Gozo on Thursday and then to Sicily on Friday morning. The remaining three are still present locally as the hunting season begins.

BirdLife Malta said it has contacted Federazzjoni Kaccaturi, Nassaba, Konservazzjonisti (FKNK) and the Environment Protection Unit (EPU) regarding the presence of one of the tagged kestrels in Mizieb, ”appealing for restraint. Although only Common Quail hunting is permitted in the first week, over 300 hunters are expected in the area from Monday onwards.”

“With the spring hunting season opening on Monday, our hopes that these birds will continue thriving are slim. Recent illegal hunting incidents do not bode well for their survival. We can only rely on luck and goodwill. It is absurd that we must appeal for such restraint, when compliance with the law should be a given,” said Nicholas Barbara, Head of Conservation at BirdLife Malta.

BirdLife Malta said that it will continue updating the public on the birds’ movements and urges anyone witnessing illegal hunting to report it to the police on 119 or contact the organisation on 21347645 or 79255697.

Photos: BirdLife Malta; Female Common Kestrel rescued from G?asri, Gozo in October 2025 with a shotgun injury to its right wing. Rehabilitated, tagged and released in Mellieha. After two months in Fiddien, it migrated to Sicily; and Female Common Kestrel rescued by Gozo Police in Gozo in October 2025 with multiple shotgun pellets in its body. Rehabilitated, tagged and released in Mellieha earlier this year

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