Birdlife has received eight shot protected birds since the aut­umn hunting season began, four of them birds of prey.

One was a pallid harrier, a species classified as near-threatened on the IUCN Red List of endangered species. A vet confirmed the birds had been shot.

Birdwatchers at Buskett have been seeing up to 300 birds of prey (raptors) daily, with high numbers of marsh harriers and honey buzzards, as well as sightings rare migrants in Malta, such as a saker falcon on Monday, the conservation NGO said.

Birdlife’s Raptor Camp starts tomorrow to September 30, mat-ching the peak migration period. Hunting after 3pm is illegal from today to the end of the month.

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