The first two adult Yelkouan Shearwaters, tagged by tracking devices during the migration period as part of large-scale research on the species, have recently returned to the island.

Birdlife project manager Helen Raine said the data obtained will now be downloaded and analysed. However, more birds will continue to be tracked to help the government designate special protection areas around the islands.

Birdlife and Heritage Malta researchers last year fitted 13 Yelkouans with electronic tags to record their journeys as part of the EU Life Yelkouan Shearwater Project.

The team also placed a camera in the seabirds' burrow at Rdum tal-Madonna in Mellieħa last year to discover the timing and behaviour of the birds as they return from migration.

This is a first for the country and footage included images of a bird returning with an electronic leg tag containing vital data on its migratory journey.

The project has also succeeded in obtaining unique images of Yelkouans returning to their burrows using a hidden infrared camera.

Yelkouans return to Malta around October to claim a nest. By March, they incubate an egg and both adults and chicks leave the island at the end of the breeding season in July.

Two juvenile birds have already been tracked on their first journey using satellite tags. However, little is known about the migration patterns of adults and researchers hope leg tags are about to change that and finally reveal their whereabouts when away from Malta. This will help protect them at sea.