A protected honey buzzard was found injured by students at their playground in St Edwards College this morning.

Students recounted the shock their school community faced when the injured bird was found as they were playing.

“We have already experienced this two years ago. Unfortunately hunters keep shooting from the perimetre of our school as if they can do what they want,” - Sebastian, the student who found the injured bird said.

During a Birdlife press conference this afternoon, Birdlife president Daryl Grima said that since the start of the hunting season, 26 protected birds were found dead or injured. But no one had been caught by the police and arraigned in court.

Directly addressing the Prime Minister, he called upon Joseph Muscat to find the political courage and put an end to all this by closing the season.

This had been done two years ago following the discovery of an injured bird at the same school.

“The Prime Minister, who has the courage to introduce progressive laws, should now show his courage and take the decision everyone is expecting of him,” Mr Grima insisted.

Birdlife CEO Mark Sultana said that during a meeting with the police commissioner yesterday, the Commissioner, Mr Lawrence Cutajar said that the force could not do more than it was doing to control the situation.

The police had not yet caught anyone hunting illegally this season, Mr Grima said.