A hunters' association, Kaccaturi San Ubertu, has called on the government to replace Birdlife by another ornithological society on the Ornis committee.

KSU was reacting to a walkout from a committee meeting by Birdlife representatives yesterday during discussion on a proposal for bird trapping in the autumn.

It said that Birdlife’s abandonment of the Ornis meeting on the grounds that a former FKNK member was present reflected arrogance. The Ornis committee was in the past chaired by a partner of Birdlife Malta in a partly EU funded campaign aimed at raising awareness on the importance of Malta to bird migration and the impacts of trapping. At that time Birdlife Malta never chose to object or boycott a meeting.

"As a solution to end this repetitive charade that makes a mockery of rational discussion, the government should consider as an alternative, the participation of another local ornithological society known for a far more valid scientific contribution and professing rational views on bird protection," the hunters said.