(Adds BirdLife reaction)

The owner of the Malta Falconry Centre, Rennie Scicluna, said today that he had intended to release the 15 protected birds confiscated from the falconry on December 1 and had already informed several people, including MEPA and BirdLife, of his intention.

He told a news conference that certain people had a hidden agenda and an attempt had been made at framing him up.

BirdLife said last week that 15 protected birds were seized by the authorities from the falconry and were being cared for at a rehabilitation centre in Sicily. It said the birds were confiscated because the falconry, in the limits of Siġġiewi, did not have the necessary documents to prove their origin.

Mr Scicluna said people regularly took injured birds to the centre. He cared for the birds and later released them. The birds which were confiscated had been taken to the centre by the public.

Mr Scicluna said that the falconry was recently inspected by the government vet and he had told him he wanted to chip the birds (for tracking purposes) before releasing them.

He called at MEPA to inform the authority of his intentions and to check whether he needed any permits. He also met Joseph Mangion, of BirdLife told him what he wanted to do.

However, Mr Scicluna said, Mr Mangion cut him short and two weeks later the falconry was inspected by policemen from the Administrative Law Enforcement section and the birds were confiscated.

Mr Scicluna called for guidelines, which he said were lacking, on what should be done in such instances.

BirdLifeMalta in a reaction to Mr Scicluna's comments, said conditions set by the Veterinary Affairs Division to run the Malta Falconry Center in Siggiewi had not been met.

"All birds need to be identified by closed rings or electronic identification chips to show that they are not wild birds but captive bred. However last month, 15 illegally kept wild protected birds were confiscated by the (police) ALE and MEPA from the Malta Falconry Centre. A further three birds are under investigation as they are also of suspect origin." Andre Raine, BirdLife Malta Conservation Manager, said.

BirdLife Malta denied claims made by Mr. Sciciluna that he had contacted it about the release of birds.

"There has been no official contact between the Falconry Centre and BirdLife Malta," the conservation organisation insisted.

"The only contact I had with Mr. Scicluna was in November when he was attending a business meeting at my professional office with some of my work colleagues and not at the BirdLife premises. I met Mr Scicluna for only a couple of minutes when he sought my help and that of birdwatchers to try to locate a Golden Eagle that had gone missing from his centre. If Mr. Scicluna had said anything about any wild protected birds in his possession, I would have immediately warned him that it was illegal to keep them and that he should contact the authorities." Joseph Mangion, president of BirdLife Malta said.

BirdLife said it is not against falconries as long as regulations are observed.

Video shows other birds at the falconry.