Nicholas Barbara

Conservationist, Conservation Biologist, Head of Conservation @BirdLife_Malta

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

This is how @FKNKMALTA tries to make belief that it's hunters are out for quail, and @maltagov just tags along with it. Truth out there is quite blatantly not the case. This is just in a few days of indiscriminate hunting of #turtledoves and other species @EU_ENV @JessikaRoswall

[BirdLife Malta @BirdLife_Malta]

Over the past week hunters were already targeting Turtle-doves illegally – days before the season even opened.

💔 Protected birds like Nightjars, Common Kestrels and Bee-eaters were also shot.

This is what our Spring Watch teams witnessed across Malta and Gozo.

#SpringWatch #TurtleDove #StopIllegalHunting #BirdLifeMalta

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

A member of @FKNKMALTA shooting #turtledove illegally at Mizieb. We estimate 1,500 dove quota reached as hunters out for quail take advantage of turtledove migration.This farce is a #springhunting derogation and its only getting worse with @EU_ENV taking its time @JessikaRoswall

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Once Malta attempted strictly supervised derogations...those days are gone. In 2025 spring hunting season later thru turtle-dove migration, turtle-dove trapping with no legal framework for 'research' and police...mocking @EU_ENV https://t.co/Ub8irNH3CU

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Malta's finch research method demonstrated: vehicle with open boot is most important apparatus. The method involves trapper hiding caught wild finches in car boot, so if checked by police no wild birds are found on trapping site! Happening all across Malta since 20Oct - @EU_ENV

[BirdLife Malta @BirdLife_Malta]

🧐 Meta r-riċerka tidħol fil-bagoll 🧐

Taqa' l-maskra tal-insib tal-għasafar tal-għana bl-iskuża tar-riċerka —grazzi għar-rapporti li saru lill-pulizija tal-EPU li intervjenew li salvaw l-għasafar.
Tkellem favur in-natura. Għinna nipproteġu l-għasafar billi tirrapporta dawn ir-reati. Flimkien, nistgħu nagħmlu d-differenza.

#CittadiniKONTRAlinsib

🧐 When research fits in the trunk 🧐

Illegal finch trapping disguised as "research" exposed—thanks to vigilant reporting, the EPU stepped in to rescue the birds.
Speak up for nature! Help us protect birds by reporting such crimes. Together, we can make a difference.

#CitizensAGAINSTtrapping

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Watch them run as they also hunt inside bird sanctuaries! With legislation on paper and impunity, not even bird sanctuaries are safe from the intensity of relentless hunting. Police apprehended 3 hunters as a result of reports filed over past week.
https://t.co/ORvicMszZa

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

The experience of an observant holiday-maker in Malta. And then they say it's research. The impact of over 2,800 nets for 2 months in the Maltese countryside means bycatch is unavoidable #CitizensAGAINSTtrapping @BirdLife_Malta @EU_ENV @coe @EUCourtPress

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Ever seen such research effort? Each dot is a trapping site on #Malta permitted to catch finches by @MaltaGov despite an @EUCourtPress ruling saying this is illegal. 2,851 stations by 3000+ trappers daily for 2months = tens of thousands finches killed #CitizensAGAINSTtrapping

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

No respect for protected species during peak hunting. This #blackstork was shot down metres from Prime Minister @RobertAbela_MT summer residence at Girgenti. Will we have a reaction? Probably not as @MaltaGov policies keep incentivising collection of such species @coe @EU_ENV

[BirdLife Malta @BirdLife_Malta]

BirdLife Malta yesterday recovered a severely injured black stork, a highly protected and rare visitor species, found near the Prime Minister’s summer residence in Girgenti after being illegally shot. Another black stork was reportedly killed in Ta' Ċenċ, Gozo.

BirdLife Malta highlights that demand for such protected species persists due to unverified taxidermy amnesties, which allowed hunters to retain or transfer taxidermy collections. With limited resources for enforcement, authorities face challenges curbing illegal hunting practices.

BirdLife Malta criticises the government’s inaction, urging for stronger wildlife protection enforcement to preserve Malta’s natural heritage.

Read our full press release here: https://t.co/e5GPsC78bJ

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

After lobbying @maltagov @Clint_Camilleri @Miriamdalli to challenge @EUCourtPress
ruling and reopen finch trapping, their own top officials just couldn't resist! So long for research! @EU_ENV
Watch: FKNK council member caught illegally trapping birds https://t.co/BUEGrpPcLA

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

While hunting in Malta is still a barbaric slaughter of protected species, @FKNKMALTA are busy promoting more 'research' on finches to @Clint_Camilleri - when clearly either have no control of hunters or their members! @EU_ENV @BirdLifeEurope @FACEforHunters

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

My opinion piece in response to the hunting federation's question placed last week on what would the EU gain if it ended #finchtrapping in Malta. Plenty of course! Fingers crossed for tomorrow's @EUCourtPress verdict. #stoptrappingnow

[Euractiv @Euractiv]

Ending finch trapping benefits conservation and biodiversity in Malta https://t.co/n6VgTUeOyl

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

2nd morning of @BirdLife_Malta raptor camp. An osprey seeks shelter from rain, Maltese hunters seek it for taxidermy. Such is the fate of European birds after years of neglect of taxidermy collections, weakened enforcement & government policy loopholes allowing so @EU_ENV @coe

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Barn owl reintroduction project specimen of @FKNKMALTA latest illegal hunting victim in Malta. A taste of own medicine after yrs lobbying for taxidermy collections,doing 0 on illegal hunting & greenwashing. @IUCNEurope guidelines ignored. No condemnation issued. @FACEforHunters

[BirdLife Malta @BirdLife_Malta]

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗞𝗡𝗞 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗢𝘄𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴!

Not even birds released by the hunters themselves are being spared from illegal hunting this autumn hunting season!

This Barn Owl (Barbaġann) that forms part of a reintroduction project managed by @FKNKMALTA was illegally shot over the past few days, ending up in the grounds of a school.

The injured bird – with an evident gunshot injury to its right wing – was found at St Dorothy’s School in Ħaż-Żebbuġ.

The bird was found by a member of the public and handed over to BirdLife Malta on Monday 18th December. Following an examination by the @MaltaGov vet, it was today confirmed that the bird was suffering from a gunshot wound, leading to a broken right wing.

The bird has a ring on its left leg bearing the details “024-BORP”. The reading of the ring highlights the fact that it is from the FKNK’s project, with the letters BORP standing for “Barn Owl Reintroduction project”.

This reintroduction project led by FKNK since 2018 is funded by the Government through the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU), and its objective is to re-establish the species that was exterminated by illegal hunting throughout the years. Various pairs of #BarnOwl used to breed in Malta and Gozo regularly until the eighties.

The Barn Owls are bred and reared in captivity in a facility in Buskett, before then being released back into the wild where it is hoped that these beautiful birds will then breed once again across the Maltese Islands.

Sadly for this particular bird, this opportunity was cut short due to illegal hunting which – as clearly llustrated by this incident – remains rampant and indiscriminatory, with hunters targeting anything that flies, especially during open hunting seasons such as the ongoing season that runs until the end of January 2024.

BirdLife Malta CEO @marksult123 stated: “This incident, which is just part of the tip of the iceberg of what happens with illegal hunting in Malta, reminds us how destructive hunting is and how backwards in time we have gone when even the efforts of the hunting lobby to greenwash hunters’ activities, gets stained red in blood literally by hunters themselves. This is a far cry from true conservation!”

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Another feather in the cap of @Clint_Camilleri - after Latvia & Czechia, it is now a Finnish #CommonKestrel that was gunned down for yet another taxidermy collection thanks to his policies in breach of Birds Directive. Thanks for making #Malta the dustbin of bird conservation.

[BirdLife Malta @BirdLife_Malta]

‼ 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 ‼ More blood on their hands. As migration of birds of prey tallies off, we keep receiving shot ones!

This morning, residents of St Vincent de Paul were shocked to the find of an injured #Osprey at their residence in Luqa. The bird was found injured with both wings broken as a result of shotgun injuries, as a visit to the vet later confirmed. Birds of prey like this Osprey rank high on taxidermy wanted lists as recent changes in law by Minister @ClintCamilleri allow such bird specimens to be transferred in between hunters’ bird collections. This bird’s journey, possibly originating from northern Europe, has been cut short as a result.

Nothing exemplifies more the international impact that such policies have on European birds than in the second case. Yesterday a shot #CommonKestrel bearing a metal ring originating from Finland, was rescued from Wardija. We are awaiting updates from our Finnish Euring partners for further details on this bird, which was confirmed by the @MaltaGov vets as suffering from multiple lead pellets in its body.

These are just two of a number of illegal hunting casualties recovered by BirdLife Malta in the past weeks. In fact, since the last update about the ongoing autumn hunting season that we shared in the first week of October, we’ve also recovered a European Turtle-dove shot down after the season for Turtle-dove hunting closed, a Western Marsh-harrier, a European Honey-buzzard, another Common Kestrel, a Montagu’s Harrier and a Eurasian Thick-knee. The Osprey recovered this morning is the third one recovered by BirdLife Malta and Environmental Protection Unit (EPU) police this season.

@BirdlifeSuomi @BirdLifeEurope @BirdLife_News

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Ever seen such a huge research effort? Imagine being a finch flying through Malta.Would u make it out alive? All points are trapping sites guised as research stations by way of a 'research derogation'. @EU_ENV
@VSinkevicius https://t.co/hZmHQRIJvS

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Czech #blackkite migrates thru 7 EU countries then disappears on Malta. Released rehabbed #honeybuzzard disappears within the day. #Shorttoedeagle watched, survives 2 days but is hunted from a boat at sea! Malta's hunting season @EU_ENV @coe @VSinkevicius https://t.co/UDhHHjaLsP

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Another bird saved from its destiny to a taxidermy collection. This is just a lucky one of thousands we miss and hunters get. Malta is becoming the blackspot of illegal killing we knew 10/15 years ago, where anything larger than a dove that flies, dies.

[BirdLife Malta @BirdLife_Malta]

Second illegally shot bird recovered in 24 hours. #MarshHarrier found at Għar Lapsi on Sunday confirmed as an illegal hunting casualty by the government vet. The protected bird of prey was received on the same day as the #GreaterFlamingo found at sea in Gozo, also confirmed shot.

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Just one of daily illegal hunting incidents which showcases systemic failures in law & enforcement during Malta's hunting season. It's simply out of control. Laws fixed to allow taxidermy, police presence lowest in a decade. It can't go on like this - @EU_ENV @coe @VSinkevicius

[BirdLife Malta @BirdLife_Malta]

‼ 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 ‼ 𝗜𝗻𝗷𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗼 🦩 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗼𝘇𝗼.

The adult #flamingo, with a visible gunshot injury under the wing, was found at sea off the Gozo coast between Xlendi & Mġarr ix-Xini and was brought to shore with the assistance of members of the public. Incidentally the bird was found on the first day of the hunting season at sea.

Watch the adult bird being retrieved by BirdLife Malta Head of Conservation @nik_barbara some time ago at Mġarr Harbour.

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

Latvian osprey wasted for more taxidermy. Awful account of how birdwatchers saw bird trying to come to rest in a tree, alas with both legs broken by leadshot. Hunting is out of control in MT thanks to @Clint_Camilleri. @MaltaGov not upholding BD @EU_ENV @VSinkevicius

[BirdLife Malta @BirdLife_Malta]

It hasn't taken that long for yet another Osprey (Arpa) to fall victim to the ongoing hunting season of illegalities. This afternoon an #Osprey with visibly dangling legs and colour rings was observed over Buskett.

The bird, after being shot somewhere in the vicinity, attempted to settle on one of the trees near Buskett. Unable to use its legs, the bird tried hard holding onto a branch until it eventually tumbled down the tree to the ground. Environmental Protection Unit (EPU) police officers on site reached the bird with the help of birdwatchers and took the bird immediately to the veterinary clinic.

The diagnosis was clear. Lead pellets had shattered both legs beyond any chance of recovery. The bird is a juvenile one that started its life some months ago in Latvia, on its first journey to Africa for winter. Its journey has however been cut short as a direct result of the state of impunity that hunting is in. Years back a 3pm curfew protected these birds from being hunted down as they arrive to Malta to rest for the night. Yet currently most of the hunting that is witnessed in the afternoon is simply on such protected species.

This is the second illegally shot Osprey recovered in less than a week following the Osprey recovered by our staff at Għadira Nature Reserve after the bird landed injured on one of the islands within the reserve, succumbing to its injuries on Sunday.

Most of these birds originate from Baltic and Scandinavian countries where intense conservation efforts are expended to help this species thrive. Current government policies are wasting away such European efforts simply to appease a hunting lobby to kill more of such species.

[Nicholas Barbara @nik_barbara]

The demand for stuffing birds for taxidermy collections is as high as ever with a @MaltaGov under @RobertAbela_MT passive allowing a free for all to hunters. Even birds in protected areas are safe no longer. There is no law when max 2 police units are out enforcing across MT

[BirdLife Malta @BirdLife_Malta]

Illegal #hunting incidents keep occurring on a daily basis on all species that are currently migrating over the Maltese Islands. Not even no-hunting zones like the bird sanctuaries of Buskett and Għadira are enough to keep birds safe from illegal hunting, with four shot birds recovered from such protected areas over the past week.

This includes an incident of a hunter intercepted by a member of the public shooting at a #BeeEater inside Buskett on the 18th September, with the bird retrieved and passed on to the Environmental Protection Unit (EPU). An injured #Nightjar was recovered the day after also from Buskett. Yesterday our staff at Għadira Nature Reserve recovered a shot #Osprey after the bird landed injured on one of the islands within the reserve, succumbing to its injuries on Sunday. A #YellowLeggedGull has had a similar fate after a dead bird was retrieved at Salina Nature Reserve yesterday. All birds were confirmed by the @MaltaGov vet as having suffered shotgun injuries.

These four birds are on top of another two shot Bee-eaters recovered from Ħal Far and Siġġiewi, on the 19th and 23rd September respectively. Police also recovered an illegally shot #CollaredDove from Qormi on the 18th.

Earlier this morning at Tal-Ħandaq, one of our teams witnessed a #GreyHeron being shot down in front of them. Luckily the bird was quickly rescued before hunters got to it, and the bird has already been admitted to rehab suffering from multiple lead pellets, as diagnosed by the vets.

Illegal hunting incidents during the ongoing autumn hunting season are to be reported to BirdLife Malta on 21347645 or 7925 5697, or to 119 asking for the Environmental Protection Unit (EPU) of The Malta Police Force.

Here is a video summing up some of the illegal hunting casualties recovered by BirdLife Malta and police since our last update on the 18th of the month.

📷 BirdLife Malta, editing by Nathaniel Attard.