Hunters condemn shooting of protected birds as pictures emerge of shot Spoonbill

This morning an injured Spoonbill was found by members of the public close to Salina, the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) said.

The bird is a juvenile which belonged to a flock of four which arrived on Malta yesterday evening. Although the bird has not yet been x-rayed, the injuries are typical of shotgun injuries.

"A second bird of the flock is also missing. At the moment a CABS team is searching the area around the saltpants to see if they can find the second bird. More about this case will be published in due course," CABS said.

Kaccaturi San Ubertu (KSU) issued a statement deploring the persecution of protected bird species and called for the application of maximum penalties for any transgressors.

“The few vandals that persist with committing criminal acts have no place in civil society and only serve to tarnish hunting in Malta,” KSU said.

“This season saw some healthy numbers of protected birds migrating safely which were enjoyed and photographed by hunters and ornithologists alike.”

KSU called on its members, hunters and the general public to report any abuse to the Police on 119 together with any relevant information that could lead to an arrest.