As is typical in the summer, waders are currently landing in Malta to take a breather and refuel in the middle of their annual migration from the Arctic to Africa. However, video footage taken by a BirdLife Malta volunteer indicates these protected birds are being stopped in their paths by a group of illegal trappers in Delimara. 

The footage captures the sound of electronic bird callers, birdsong-mimicking devices used to attract birds often used by hunters and trappers. Although they are legal in and of themselves, it is against the law to use them for hunting and trapping purposes. 

And BirdLife Malta is warning these specific bird callers, found in an area littered with trapping sites, are being used to lure and trap waders, several of which have been spotted in Malta in recent weeks – including oystercatcher, dunlin, little stint, ruff, common sandpiper, greenshank, wood sandpiper, kentish plover, redshank and turnstone. 

“It is obvious that the bird callers are being used for trapping,” BirdLife’s conservation manager Nick Barbara told Lovin Malta. “There are so many bird callers there that they can be heard all the way from Kalanka Bay and indeed some people have asked us if there’s a bird rehabilitation centre over there.”

The trapping season- only for finches, song thrush and golden plover – is closed until October, but Barbara warned some hunters are using the summer open rabbit season as a smokescreen to target birds. 

Moreover, he noted the area is a notorious hotspot for illegal hunting and trapping and is operated by a family the Times of Malta has cheekily dubbed as “The Untouchables” as a result of their blatant hunting illegalities and illegal developments over the years.

Barbara recounted how one of them, Johnsilv Galea, had attacked him and a fellow conservationist three years ago when he spotted them holding a camera on public land in Delimara. The courts later handed the trapper a two-month suspended sentence and fined him and two of his relatives €200 each. 

“It’s the same story every summer in Delimara. Whenever they see a stranger approaching, they come out and threaten them to walk away,” he said. 

“It’s the same story every summer in Delimara”

Nick Barbara – BirdLife Conservation Manager

Although illegal trapping can be reported to the police, the police have been rendered pretty powerless in this situation. There is only one road leading up to Delimara and the family have set up CCTV cameras along the walls. 

“Whenever they see a police car approaching, they simply remove the trapping nets and the police can do nothing because they cannot prove the bird callers were used for trapping,” Barbara said.

Should the authorities do more to safeguard these birds? Let us know in the comments section.

READ NEXT: 11 Reasons To Close The Hunting Season In Malta Right Now

Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]