WATCH | Hunter to be charged after shooting and crushing protected kestrel under his foot

A hunter has been filmed killing a protected common kestrel by crushing it under his foot in Ħal Farruġ on Sunday, according to the BirdLife Malta Raptor Camp team.

In the video, the hunter "picked up the bird from the vegetation, placed it under his foot, and kept it there until it took its last breath," BirdLife Malta said.

BirdLife Malta said the hunter inspected the bird to confirm it was dead before moving away with its body in hand.

The incident happened around 8am as the monitoring team arrived at the location. Police were called, and officers from the Environmental Protection Unit detained the hunter and recovered the dead kestrel.

BirdLife Malta questioned how such incidents continue to occur, describing the killing as deliberate and the cruelty as difficult to watch. Under Maltese law, the hunter faces a €5,000 fine and a lifetime ban on hunting licences on conviction.

The case comes just days after two rare and strictly protected Black Storks were shot down on Monday afternoon after being recorded in Malta.

This year’s autumn hunting season began on 1 September and is due to run until 31 January. The hunting season for Turtle-doves, which was due to remain open until 30 September, was closed early after the national quota of 500 birds was reached.