Humanists today urged everyone, including hunters, to vote with an eye to the future of bird populations and vote "No" to spring hunting.

In a statement, they said hunting was not a right but a pastime, and like any pastime it could be subject to restrictions.

“Just as Malta has banned spear fishing while scuba diving, it can stop hunting during spring, and this is not a breach of anybody’s rights.

“On the contrary, it is a rational way to limit our impact and try to stem the steady and alarming decline of bird populations in the wild.

“As humanists we are deeply concerned about the environment in which we live. We are not a species in isolation, and our happiness and wellbeing is inextricably linked with other species in an intricate web of interrelations and an ecosystem that encompasses the planet,” they said.