One of the live birds of prey found in a Qormi garage yesterday, a gyrfalcon, escaped as it was being examined, the Times of Malta has learnt.

The police confirmed this afternoon that it has not yet been recaptured.

The birds, all falcons, were found in a garage in Triq iz-Zinzell, and are believed to belong to a Russian.

Prices for gyrfalcons traded legally on the internet start from €3,000.

They live mainly over the North Polar circle migrating insignificantly southwards for winter. The demand for them as falconry species is growing and increases in autumn, the peak of the falconry season in the Middle East.

Although investigations to established whether the birds found yesterday were imported legally have not yet been concluded, sources said the police are investigating the use of Malta as a hub in the illegal trading of birds.

A magisterial inquiry is underway.

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