Malta's government should heed its own legal advice and back down on its tradition of trapping endangered migratory birds, an MEP said today. 

West Midlands MEP Anthea McIntyre called on Malta to end its annual barbarity to wild birds. She spoke as the country was due before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) over the practice last Wednesday.

The ECJ hearing follows Malta’s decision to reintroduce finch-trapping, flouting a ban imposed after its accession to the EU. 

It is estimated up to 25 million chaffinches, thrushes, robins, quail and many other species are being shot, trapped or poisoned as they migrate to and from mainland Europe, with Malta being a serious offender.

The European Commission officially referred Malta to the ECJ claiming the Maltese government had ignored its formal warnings. 

Miss McIntyre said: “Malta needs to end its barbaric slaughter of endangered wild birds and it needs to do so now.

"If there was any doubt that there is no justification for finch trapping, it appears this has been made clear by none other than the Attorney General himself who is supposed to be leading the defence on behalf of the Maltese Government.

 “Our wild birds are in serious danger. Populations of some species that were once abundant in Europe are declining. Others are in freefall, with some in danger of disappearing altogether.

"Our birds deserve safer flyways and we want conservation efforts to be increased now, before it’s too late,” she said.