This Stone Curlew (Tellerita in Maltese) with evident gunshot injuries to its left wing was found by a member of the public at L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa on Monday 8th April 2019.
The protected bird was taken to the government vet who confirmed that it was shot. It becomes the 14th known illegally shot protected bird of the closed season.
Just a day before the start of this year's spring hunting season - which will run between the 10th and the 30th of April, BirdLife Malta and police have received no less than 14 known illegal hunting casualties - from gulls to shearwaters, from waders to birds of prey. The list includes two Black-headed Gulls, five Common Kestrels, four Marsh Harriers, one Scopoli's Shearwater, one Purple Heron and this Stone Curlew - all protected species.
The number of casualties increased drastically with the start of spring as soon as bird migration picked up. In fact, since then we've recovered an average of one shot bird every two days.
If one had to list all known shot protected birds recovered since the start of the year (including those recovered during the last part of last year's autumn hunting season, which ran until 31st January) the total of known illegally shot protected birds so far in 2019 would rise to 20.
Footage by Steph Leow and Nathaniel Attard, editing by Nathaniel Attard.
