Illegally shot cuckoo discovered in Mizieb

An illegally shot cuckoo has been discovered in Miżieb Woodland, an area overseen by the FKNK hunting federation.

In a statement, BirdLife Malta said that the cuckoo was still alive but visibly distressed when it was found by a member of the public. BirdLife immediately brought the cuckoo to a vet, where it was confirmed that it had been shot. The wing was broken, with bone visibly protruding through the feathers. The cuckoo had to be euthanised as the extent of its injuries meant that it would not be able to fly again.

"It caught my attention as it was flapping around on the ground next to the path. It was obvious that its wing was badly damaged and it could not fly,” the unidentified woman who discovered the cuckoo told BirdLife. “I was worried that if it stayed there, it would starve to death."

BirdLifer described Miżieb as a notorious illegal hunting black spot where volunteers have previously found hundreds of carcasses of illegally shot birds stashed under rocks by hunters.

“Although public land, the area is overseen by the FKNK who have erected signs warning walkers to keep out during the hunting season,” BirdLife said.

This is the third protected bird that has been found gunned down since the spring hunting season opened on 14 April, following a narrow victory for the hunting lobby in a referendum held to abolish the practice.