Racing pigeons shot in flight

Not all of Neville Psaila’s racing pigeons flew back home after a morning practice session a few days ago because of what appears to have been an encounter with indiscriminate hunters.

Of the 103 that set out, 11 went missing and another six returned with gunshot wounds.

Early in the morning, Mr Psaila counted his flock in preparation for the training season ahead and let the pigeons spread their wings from the roof of his home in Rabat

When they returned a few hours later he realised something was badly wrong. “The pigeons were acting strangely and some of them had blood on their wings,” he said.

The flock had been shot. An upset Mr Psaila pointed out it was not only illegal to shoot pigeons but the hunters should have noticed they were racing pigeons from the way they flew.

“They just shoot them and leave them there,” he said, adding that one of his birds actually made it home two days later with a broken leg.

When the 30-year-old man realised what had happened, he was ballistic. Each pigeon costs a minimum of €50 but a racing pigeon could easily fetch €1,000. He also has the veterinary fees for the injured birds to consider.

A hunting spree targeting his flock had never happened to any of Mr Psaila’s birds before in the 13 years that he has been racing pigeons, although he remembers an isolated incident with his father’s birds a number of years ago.

“Usually, the hunters mistakenly aim at birds flying on their own, never at the whole flock,” he said.

A few of his birds have big bruises on their wings and blood on their breasts. Another one was shot in the eye and will never regain its sight. And while the rest of the birds are standing proud, others have to stand on one leg, or rest on their abdomen, having sustained injuries to their legs.

“Although other owners put their pigeons down after they get hurt, I won’t do that because I feel sorry for them,” Mr Psaila said, in full realisation that some may never fly again.