The letter (May 2) by Axel Hirschfeld and David Conlin, Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) on turtle-doves deserves a rebuttal. Here is a typical example. In September 2007 one wounded Lesser Spotted Eagle was picked up locally. CABS arranged a free Air Malta flight to Germany for treatment, designated the bird "rare", named it Sigmar, featured the event on the German TV station ARD and pounced on this unfortunate incident to smear all Maltese hunters hitting at this country in the process.

What CABS did not tell the German public was that all law-abiding hunters condemn such illegalities, that the Lesser Spotted Eagle is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) under the taxon "Least Concern", that its population is between 80,000 and 110,000 individuals (2006 census), that one occurs on Malta once in a blue moon, that such a bird is usually a genetically defective straggler, that its loss far from being a threat to European bio-diversity may actually be considered beneficial for the species, and that the fuss and publicity was necessary for CABS to extract more money from a sympathetic and emotional public, unfortunately deficient in technical and ornithological knowledge.

Here the turtle-dove has been always considered, with the quail, as the principal quarry species of hunters. Contrary to CABS's declaration, both these species are listed on the IUCN Red Data List in the category "Least Concern", meaning they are widespread and abundant species. This information is derived from the 2007 database of the IUCN. But now, in keeping with their promise to do their utmost to ensure that the turtle-dove and the quail "are removed as huntable species from Appendix II of the EU Bird Protection Guidelines", we expect CABS tactics to include putting pressure on the IUCN and other institutions to list both species as declining and threatened.

While CABS proceeds with its fanatical and hysterical smear campaign, our organisation is determined to ensure not only that our birds remain on Annex II, but that other species that are equally abundant and widespread will also be included as huntable species.