Through its collaboration with the Malta Environment Foundation under the Wings of Hope project, BirdLife Malta has been tracking four Common Kestrels (Spanjuletti) 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, with the spring hunting season opening on Monday 13 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 10 February—deliberately after the hunting season ended on 31 January to reduce risk—while the other two followed in subsequent weeks. 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. Illegal hunting remains a major threat. Last year, 28 shot kestrels were recovered by BirdLife Malta and police—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. Tracking has shown Malta offers suitable habitat, with birds spending up to two months in areas such as the notorious hunting grounds of Miżieb and Aħrax 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 has contacted Federazzjoni Kaċċaturi, Nassaba, Konservazzjonisti (FKNK) and the Environment Protection Unit (EPU) regarding the presence of one of the tagged kestrels in Miżieb, 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 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.
Read our press release in Maltese here.
