An illegally shot cuckoo was discovered by a member of the public in Miżieb woodland on Wednesday afternoon, according to Birdlife Malta.

This would make it the third reported illegality since the spring hunting season opened 10 days ago.

Birdlife said the cuckoo, found by a woman walking her dog through Miżieb, had to be euthanised by a vet as it could no longer fly.

The vet confirmed the cuckoo had been shot, the NGO said. The bird’s wing was broken, with bone protruding through the feathers.

This is the second time a cuckoo (daqquqa kaħla) has been killed since the start of the spring hunting season, after a hunter was arraigned last week for shooting the protected bird in Manikata, which he said he mistook for a legally huntable turtle dove.

Another hunter was imprisoned a few days later after shooting a lapwing, also a protected species.

Although public land, Miżieb is overseen by the hunters’ federation and signs have been erected warning walkers to keep out during the hunting season.