The black-winged stilt, known in Maltese as fras-servjent, is an uncommon spring and autumn migrant that is sometimes seen in small flocks and is easily recognised by its striking white and black pattern, long beak and pink legs.

Several years ago I had predicted that some day the black-winged stilt would start breeding in Malta. It is common in wetlands around the Mediterranean and couples had been seen taking part in courtship displays at the Għadira Nature Reserve.

In 2011, a pair built a nest and successfully raised their young in the reserve. Last year no black-winged stilts bred here, but this year three pairs are doing so. This augurs well for the future of this bird in our islands.

Black-winged stilts are not the only waders to breed at Għadira. In 1995, a pair of little ringed plovers, monakella in Maltese, bred on one of the islands in the reserve. Since then this species has bred successfully every year. An average of six pairs breed in the reserve every year. The little ringed plover can now be listed as a breeding species.

The Għadira and the Simar nature reserves have been instrumental in attracting new breeding aquatic birds, such as the coot and the little grebe, to the Maltese islands.

Other birds, like the little bittern, bred once or twice but might become regular breeders in the future, while others, such as the moorhen and reed warbler, had bred outside the reserve before but have now established strong breeding populations in the reserves.

The reserves have successfully provided habitats that previously did not exist on our islands. They also provide a safe haven where these birds can breed without being shot.

Nature reserves are important because they encourage birds to breed in new areas or in new countries. In the UK, nature reserves are sometimes called “welcome doormats” because several species breed for the first time in nature reserves to then move on to new areas to establish breeding populations outside the boundaries of the nature reserves.

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