A lesser kestrel carrying its catch caught the eye of ornithologist Natalino Fenech as it flew past Mdina cathedral.

Five other lesser kestrels and a red-footed falcon have made the area between Żebbuġ and Rabat their home since mid-March, surviving the hunting season in an area that is highly frequented by hunters.

Dr Fenech noted that kestrels were known to linger in Malta and up to six pairs bred regularly over the past few years but it was unusual for lesser kestrels and red-footed falcons to stay for so long. “It is to the hunters’ credit that these birds survived for so long. Fines and enforcement have increased and are a strong deterrent, but I am sure that had someone wanted to shoot any of them and get away with it, they could have.

“The fact that these birds are still there is a clear sign of the change that has been taking place over the past few years,” Dr Fenech said.