Illegal hunting activities are reaching new heights as the authorities seem to be ineffective in putting a check on the worsening situation, BirdLife Malta said yesterday.

The NGO said it continued to receive daily reports of illegal hunting and the only factor preventing a massacre was the fact that this spring bird migration was generally poorer when compared to previous years.

"Protected birds continue to fall victim to illegal hunting on a daily basis including Sunday afternoons. BirdLife also received reports of illegal hunting at sea.

"Currently only hunting on land of turtle dove and quail is allowed until May 22, under a derogation which is being strongly contested by BirdLife Malta and BirdLife International.

"Over the past weeks protected birds falling target to illegal hunting included bee eaters, hoopoes, marsh harriers, lesser kestrels, little bitterns and many other species." BirdLife reiterated its call for an effective law enforcement strategy in order to solve the problem.