Identify birds before shooting, court tells hunters

Hunters could not be excused when pleading they were unable to identify a protected bird and they should do so before shooting, a magistrate said yesterday.

Magistrate Tonio Micallef Trigona warned that hunters faced a fine of up to Lm500 and a suspension of their licence if found guilty of killing protected birds.

Magistrate Micallef Trigona made the statement in a sitting of the administrative law enforcement police, during which a number of hunters were fined for breaching hunting regulations.

Christopher Azzopardi, of Qormi, was fined Lm300 after he pleaded guilty to shooting a nightjar, which is a protected species.

Azzopardi told the court he was hunting waiting for woodcock when the nightjar flew past and he shot it.

Magistrate Micallef Trigona said hunters had no excuse in shooting protected species as they had to identify birds before shooting them.

Emanuel Cassar was fined Lm70 for having his gun loaded with six cartridges instead of three, and Joseph Gatt was fined Lm50 for using an electronic bird caller, which was confiscated.

Inspector Alex Miruzzi prosecuted.