Two robins have flown a total of over 3,000 kilometres to reach Malta in what has been described as an amazing feat.

One of the birds, which weighs half as much as a packet of crisps, came all the way from Russia, flying an incredible distance of 2,200 km. The other migrated here from the Czech Republic in a 1,100 km flight. Both made it in just a matter of weeks.

The birds, which were caught for documentation in the last week of October, were ringed in the Czech Republic and Russia one month and one-and-a-half months ago respectively by Euring, a European bird conservation group.

The head of BirdLife Malta's ringing scheme, Mark Gauci, said: "This is an amazing feat for a 13-gram bird that must face the full power of the elements on an exhausting migratory journey.

"Scientific records show the importance of Malta as one of the main migration routes taken by various bird species. It also highlights the importance of the island as a wintering ground for these species."

The two birds were spotted by BirdLife's ringers and were released back into the wild following scientific measurements.

Europe's birds reproduce during spring when the weather is good and food is abundant. They migrate south to the Mediterranean and Africa during autumn as the weather gets colder and food becomes scarcer.