BirdLife Malta has reported an eventful day for Good Friday, even in the gale force winds and later rain.
In the morning, BirdLife said that Quail callers were recorded along the southwest and central areas of Malta including a case of a Turtle-dove caller as well as use of Turtle-dove decoys.
Despite hunting of Turtle-dove not being permitted yet, BirdLife said that one of its teams witnessed a Turtle-dove being shot down. Footage of the incident is being passed to police to aid in prosecuting.
It said that reports of shot birds in Malta and Gozo “started streaming in during the day.” A Hoopoe was shot down and tumbled to the sea in front of tourists hiking in Delimara, followed by a video sent of a Barn Swallow found dead after a hunting incident in Gharb, Gozo.
Three injured birds were also reported to BirdLife on Good Friday afternoon: an injured Common Kestrel from Gozo, and a second dead Barn Swallow found by a jogger also on Gozo, as well as an injured Common Kestrel from Zebbug, Malta,
BirdLife Malta said that all birds are being handed to vets for a full diagnosis.
Photos: BirdLife Malta
2 Comments To "Birds shot on Good Friday include Turtle-dove, Hoopoe, Barn Swallows and Kestrels"
#1 Comment By Dietmar Treptow On April 16, 2022 @ 8:00 pm
Found a shoot SWALLOW in Mgarr ix Xini Valley .
The need Glasses ???
#2 Comment By Joe Buttigieg On April 19, 2022 @ 1:32 am
The Maltese should be ashamed of themselves to allow shooting of wild birds. The only answer is removal of guns, because once you have a culture of zero empathy for Gods birds, you are never going to stop the killing of them. The islands are relatively devoid of birds and the day is fast approaching when migratory birds will be wiped out and never again land on Malta and Gozo. We have all seen what happens when you try to limit shooting by issuing fines etc, Nothing changes, the hard core of shooters of low intelligence continue to shoot helpless birds for fun. Remove the guns from Malta and Gozo, its the only way, and if you don’t vote for it, well then you’re as guilty as the idiots still pulling the trigger on Gods free birds.