Last weekend, in just a few days between Friday and Monday morning, BirdLife Malta received no less than seven illegally shot protected birds: four Marsh Harriers (Bagħdan Aħmar) and three Common Kestrels (Spanjulett). This raises the total of known illegally shot protected birds during the closed season in 2020 to 14. The first Common Kestrel was found by a member of the public on Friday 27th March 2020 in Marsaskala. It had an injury to its right wing. On Saturday 28th March we received two Marsh Harriers, one from Fomm ir-Riħ and the other found at Wied l-Isqof. Both had fractures in their wings and one of them was recovered by ALE police.
The following day, Sunday, members of the public found another two Marsh Harriers (one in Dwejra, Malta and the other in Mtarfa) together with a Common Kestrel which was found injured on the ground in Girgenti. On Monday 30th another illegally shot Common Kestrel was found in Żabbar.
Apart from being protected species, all these birds were found during the closed season when hunting is not permitted.
This video edit shows six of these birds following their recovery before being taken for examination by the vet.
Footage by BirdLife Malta, editing by Nathaniel Attard.
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