Two hunters were yesterday found to be in possession of two dead protected birds while on a speedboat in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.

Karl Sant and Cliff Borg were caught with two oystercatchers early in the afternoon by police. Mr Borg, 31, of Mosta, has already been charged in court with involvement in the shooting of a protected flamingo in Salina Bay in June last year.

Mr Borg was charged with shooting the flamingo, being in possession of stuffed protected birds, hunting outside the hunting season and regulated times, and within a sanctuary. He was also accused of relapsing.

The FKNK had described the flamingo shooting as a “criminal act” and had said in a statement that it would suspend any members who turned out to be the perpetrators. The oystercatchers they allegedly targeted in yesterday’s incident are stocky wading birds. It is a migratory species. The European population breeds mainly in northern Europe.

The birds are obvious and noisy, with black and white plumage, red legs and strong, broad red bills used for smashing or opening molluscs such as mussels.