Nature lovers and bird aficionados who would like to help save Malta’s wildlife can now ‘adopt a bird’ through Birdlife Malta’s latest initiative.

The environmental NGO has just launched a bird adoption scheme through which one can learn about one’s favourite species while helping to raise funds to support efforts in conserving and protecting wild birds and their habitats across the Maltese islands.

Birdlife Malta has been an advocate for the protection of Maltese wildlife for more than 50 years.

“We have been campaigning for better wildlife protection in Malta since 1962,” says Nathaniel Attard, communications manager at Birdlife Malta.

The NGO, in fact, aims to create safe places for both migratory and resident birds through community engagement projects and nature reserves at Għadira and Xemxija (Simar).

“We monitor spring and autumn migration with the aims of deterring, detecting and reporting the illegal persecution of protected birds and also provide an injured bird service. We take a stand to protect Malta’s wildlife from damaging developments and we fight for stronger legislation to protect Europe’s birds,” continues Attard.

Birdlife Malta has also been studying the avian species of Malta since the 1950s. Currently, their main research project focuses on breeding seabirds.

“Through our scientific work monitoring populations and creating protected areas we are ensuring we take the right action to save Mediterranean bird population,” says Attard.

The Adopt a Bird scheme is a good way of introducing children to nature and its inhabitants. The initiative also carries the tagline ‘Become a #BirdHero’,  making it more appealing to the younger ones. Attard says: “Our education mission is to connect children with nature. Both our formal and informal programmes lay emphasis on experiential learning which offers direct, physical, sensory and intellectual ways of developing a relationship with the world we depend on for our survival.”

Those who ‘adopt a bird’ will receive their own personalised adoption pack dedicated to the species they have chosen to adopt, whether it is the national bird of Malta – the blue rock thrush, or il-merill as it is known in Maltese, the majestic peregrine falcon (bies) or the elusive Scopoli’s shearwater (ċiefa).

These particular birds were chosen because “they each – in their own way – represent what we do and the different aspects of our work to educate, research and campaign,” explains Attard.

“The peregrine falcon represents the rehabilitation work and the NGO’s fights against illegalities and wildlife crime; the blue rock thrush symbolises our education work and the opportunities we offer to people to connect with nature; while the Scopoli’s shearwater represents the research and studies about seabirds, which are Malta’s mostsecretive birds.”

 Apart from its main feature, which is a watercolour drawing illustration of each of these birds by Birdlife Malta volunteer Nimrod Mifsud, the pack is filled with fun facts and information, an adoption certificate, regular e-updates about Birdlife Malta’s work after six months and a copy of Birdlife Malta’smagazine Bird’s Eye View which is published four times a year.

Bird species for ‘adoption’

Peregrine falcon

The peregrine falcon (bies in Maltese) represents Birdlife Malta’s efforts to protect and rehabilitate wild birds that are illegally targeted, exhausted from migration or otherwise injured. Through the eNGO’s ongoing efforts, it manages to rehabilitate and release injured birds back in the wild. Taking this bird ‘under your wing’ helps Birdlife Malta to better monitor bird migration and illegalities across the Maltese islands.

Scopoli’s shearwater

The Scopoli’s shearwater (ċiefa in Maltese) represents Birdlife Malta’s long and ongoing research on seabirds that started in the 1950s. Through its research it managed to collect data on the breeding populations, their behaviour, as well as creating protected areas around Malta. ‘Adopting’ this bird would help Birdlife Malta to better understand these secretive birds and tackle their threats. 

Blue rock thrush

The blue rock thrush (merill in Maltese), being the national bird of Malta, represents Birdlife Malta’s environmental education work, through which it strives to connect children, youths and adults with nature. Birdlife Malta works to generate understanding and respect for the environment and to inspire change in people’s behaviour towards ssustainable lifestyles. Funds raised will help Birdlife Malta reach out and connect more people with nature.

For more information on how to become a #BirdHero, visit https://birdlifemalta.org/get-involved/online-shop/adopt-a-bird-become-a-birdhero .