BirdLife Malta has announced that after weeks of rehabilitation, a male and a female Common Kestrel (Spanjulett) were in the past days released in Comino.

The male, nicknamed 'Baal,' after the Phoenician God known as 'rider of clouds', was found in Zejtun in July with gunshot injuries that left him grounded with a broken wing.

Following an examination by the vets and had a look at how the fracture would heal, BLM said that together they decided to attempt rehabilitation. "It took a few days for Baal to get used to captivity – a necessary measure in order for him to be fed and kept safe during his recovery – but he quickly started feeding on his own and using the provided perches."

The juvenile female Common Kestrel 'Tanit,' named after the Phoenician Mother Goddess, was retrieved in Qormi on the 8th of August, "showing signs of illegal captivity. She could not fly but made a very quick recovery, and was ready to be released after a month of rehabilitation."In both cases, the birds were handed over to BirdLife Malta after vets declared that although they suffered injuries, they could be rehabilitated after a few weeks.

Before taking off, both Baal and Tanit were ringed by qualified bird ringers Roger and Helen Short of the Comino Birds Observatory who are carrying out ringing and monitoring activities as the bird migration picks up, said BLM.

Common Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) are small raptors belonging to the falcon family, and are best recognised by the hovering behaviour they display when hunting for small rodent prey.

They are usually seen hunting over fields and have very keen eyesight, allowing them to spot their prey from up to 20m above the ground. Common Kestrels are cavity nesters, so they will typically nest in holes on cliffs, trees or even buildings.

Whilst many Common Kestrels are resident to where they breed, those breeding in cooler climates in northern Europe move to warmer climates in the winter, and can easily be seen on migration over Malta in spring and autumn.

BirdLife stated that given the time of the year, it is possible that Baal was breeding in Malta when he was shot down, and it is just as likely that Tanit hatched in Malta during last breeding season.

"Both birds were brought to BirdLife Malta by members of the public and were unable to fly after sustaining human-inflicted injuries, but have made spectacular recoveries and have been given a second chance to live freely in the wild."

Birdlife Malta said that it is aware of at least two successful breeding attempts by kestrels on the Maltese Islands this year, and hopes to see similar successes from pairs next year.

Baal, the male common kestrel and Tanit, the juvenile female common kestrel

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