A British tourist residing in Gozo reported seeing two hunters gunning down two little egrets at Xatt l-Aħmar, in Għajnsielem, on Monday.

Anne Hunt said she and her husband were enjoying watching four little egrets that perched themselves on top of a tree by a duck pond in the area.

Later, at about 11am, the couple heard two gunshots.

From the balcony of their rented apartment, they spotted two young men brandishing shotguns and two of the birds were on the ground.

The hunters grabbed one bird each and ran away.

“They sped off through the agricultural land. I was so angry,” Ms Hunt said. Birdlife and the police were informed.