A pair of Grey Wagtails has successfully bred and raised two chicks in Malta after an absence of almost 100 years, according to Birdlife Malta.

The last breeding record of these birds in Malta came from ornithologist Giuseppe Despott in a paper entitled 'The breeding birds of Malta' in 1916.

The recent breeding pair of Grey Wagtails was observed by Birdlife Malta fieldworkers carrying out courtship displays at the same site over several weeks.

The fieldworkers later located and photographed the nest site, and observed the pair feeding the newly-fledged young birds.

Birdlife Conservation Manager Andre Raine said: "This pair located the closest thing in Malta to its natural habitat and chose a water outflow pipe near a building as its nesting site. It demonstrates how adaptable birds can be when they feel the urge to breed, particularly if they are not disturbed."

Birdlife said that it will soon be releasing a report on this year's breeding bird records. The report will compare this year's records with those published in the Malta Breeding Bird Atlas 2008.