Birds in Malta

Off the coast of North Africa and within the bounds of Sicily in the central Mediterranean sea lies a relatively small European country made up of an essential group of islands known as Malta. The archipelago makes for a beautiful country bathed in brilliant sceneries and architecture. The strategic positioning of the country in the Mediterranean sea allowed it to play a significant role in the succession and development of Europe, Africa, and the middle east, which means that the country has a deep and rich history.

This was the chosen holiday destination for my family and me during the 2021 Christmas period. I had done some research on the country before going and read up about some of the popular activities taken up by the Maltese people, including their tradition of bird hunting that is allowed by the government at least once a year. I have developed a deep interest in birds in general so talking about how they are hunted as a tradition is somewhat difficult for me as it is a sensitive topic. However, I am writing this entry to share my observations and findings regarding the birds in Malta.

The reception upon arrival in the country was great Malta being a European country, is relatively highly developed in terms of convenience and service. I had a taste of this development as we made our way to our beach hotel in a self-driving car in the crisp early evening air swathed by the orange rays of the dusk sun. The transit to the hotel was smooth as I got to see a lot of wonderful scenery along the way. My research into the birds of Malta before coming for this trip had me eager to get the experience of interacting and possibly filming and taking pictures with them. So you can imagine the heightened levels of excitement I felt upon reaching our beach hotel suite only to find a sparrow on the front wall. It was as if it had come there to welcome us to the hotel, but unfortunately, it fluttered away in a scurry when it saw us approaching. Seeing a bird during the first few moments of being at the hotel really got my hopes up about seeing more during our stay in Malta.

However, these high hopes were short-lived as the very next morning, upon waking up, something immediately felt out of place. I lay in my hotel bed for a while before it hit me that it was the deafening silence from outside. Normally I would have woken up to the sound of different bird species doing their various calls in the morning sun, especially the seagulls, which should be in abundance given that we were staying at a beach hotel. But this morning was different, not a single call from a bird from the trees and the open beach.

I made myself a cup of tea and strolled to the balcony to enjoy the morning scenery as I sipped on it. Despite the beautiful scenery of the beach and the sea coupled with the gentle morning sea breeze, I was taken aback by the eerie absence of birds in the area. There was not a single bird in sight, not even a seagull. I thought to myself how many pigeons I would have seen by now had I been in another country. Birds were usually everywhere, at least that is what I thought. During the day, my family and I spent time taking a tour of the beach hotel. They had an excellent facility that upheld luxury and comfort for all its occupants; I was especially fascinated by the well-tended flower beds and bushes that were lining the hotel’s environment. During this tour, I kept an eye out to spot any birds that might be around the bushes or flying across the sky. I have to admit that I was fairly underwhelmed by the presence or lack thereof of the birds in the area. Apart from the occasional one or two sparrows flying by, there was not really much to see in terms of the variety of species of birds that are available in malta.

During the tour, I had the opportunity of meeting the manager in charge of the hotel kitchen. He was a native UK resident. I casually asked him for advice on the best spots for bird watching within the hotel’s facilities without letting him know about my knowledge of birds in Malta. He seemed hesitant at first before he replied by saying that he would have to consult with his friend, who was better versed in the topic of birds and bird watching, and he would get back to me with an answer. I decided to be patient and wait for his advice. After a few days of waiting, it became apparent that it was unlikely that I would get an answer from him any time soon. He started becoming distant and coy all of a sudden. He would even go to the extent of pretending to be busy so as to avoid talking to me. This was at first confusing I wondered why he would behave in this way. Was he trying to give me a warning? I really could not figure it out.

During our stay in Malta, we were able to visit Ghadira Nature Reserve. It is a reserve that has a saltmarsh habitat and a brackish lake. The generally dry climate of Malta makes it hard to find any permanent areas of inland water; as such, the wet marshes in the Ghadira Nature Reserve bares extreme importance in the ecosystems of birds and other natural wildlife. The natural reserve is famous for acting as a stopover point for migrating birds where they can have a rest and refuel before embarking on their long migration journeys. Its small size compared to the UK nature reserves is more than made up for by the breathtaking views of sandy Maltese beaches that face it.

I had the opportunity of getting inside the nature reserve while my family was enjoying time on the beach. As I entered the reserve, I saw a starling picking insects out of the mud near the entrance, which gave me high hopes of seeing more birds. I checked in at the reception desk and was surprised not to be charged any entrance fees. After a brief inquiry, two of the staff that were on duty at the reception told me that the best period for bird watching in the nature reserve was during the spring. This made the thought of April being the peak period for bird hunting in malta pop into my mind. I swiftly moved on from the reception desk and that thought and made my way into the reserve. I took my time walking in the nature reserve, trying to be keen in my observations, but alas, I was only able to spot a few sparrows here and there.

After all this while of largely unsuccessful bird watching attempts and inquiries, I decided not to ruin the rest of my family’s festive holiday with my bird problems. I decided to move on, but I ensured that I carried my camera in my backpack whenever I went with the hope of possibly spotting some birds. During our holiday escapades in the Maltese archipelago, I happened to see several birds, of which I took pictures. I took hundreds of pictures of sparrows, starlings, and Robins. I also had the luck of getting an unclear photo of one lark (still counts) and a couple of ducks. There were more birds that I did not get the chance to capture with my camera, but I was still glad that I saw them. It was as if when I stopped intentionally looking for the birds, they came to find me.

Maltese Architecture:

Given the geographic position and historical function of the country of Malta, one can be sure that the country has a deep and rich history. This is even reflected in their architecture as their buildings show their culture and history. A majority of these buildings are made out of limestone and are built and structured in such a way that they reflect their historical use and purpose. The buildings, in some way, gave me flashbacks to the brilliant architecture that is commonly found in the Ivy League colleges of Oxford and Cambridge, which are made up of limestone, which is one of the oldest building materials used to build strong buildings in the past.

It is fairly common to see sparrows and other birds taking advantage of the gaps in the limestone buildings where they take refuge within these gaps to rest or, as some of the locals would put it, dirty their cars and the walls of the buildings with their waste. Hundreds if not thousands of sparrows and other birds such as pigeons take shelter in these gaps as the walls offer a quick and easy hiding spot for them. These birds are so fond of these gaps in the limestone building that it is almost impossible to get a building without any birds throughout Malta. You would think that the architects purposefully designed the buildings to accommodate them.

I also had the pleasure of visiting the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta – one of the busiest areas of the city. The gardens which were found in the upper tier of St. Peter and Paul Bastion, whose history dates back to the mid-16th century, offer a magnificent panoramic view of the Grand Habor. The rich history of previous civilizations was evident all over the gardens as there were several memorials and monuments of numerous prominent people of the past, such as Sir Thomas Maitland and Gerald Strickland. I thought the excellent views offered by the gardens were a great place to spot some birds. To my delight, I was able to spot a couple of birds from the vantage point offered at the highest point of the city walls and the bordering terrace. This gave me a chance to take more photos of the Sparrows as I enjoyed the views of the lower-lying parts of the Maltese capital, including the shipyard and the Grand Harbor.

Popeye Village was another scenic Maltese destination that I had the pleasure of visiting. The village is largely famous around the world mainly because of its role in the musical production of ‘Popeye’ back in the 1980s. While in the village, I was able to spend find more birds which made me contend considering that I had little luck of seeing them during the earlier days of the trip.

With the country majorly being dry and desert-like, December is Malta's month of winter, with temperatures hitting approximately 20 degrees Celcius; however, to my family and me, this temperature was more like 25 degrees Celcius on our skins. The December climate has significant implications for the flora and fauna of the country as they limit the areas in which birds can take shelter. But within some of the walking trails, there is an abundance of shrubs where I was able to see some birds. I saw this as an opportunity to take pictures of the birds, but it is easier said than done. The birds have adapted to clever ways of escaping being hunted, making it difficult to take pictures. They fly so quickly and very low to the ground to prevent being shot at.

One of the biggest highlights of the trip was the restaurants. It was fairly easier to spot Spanish and Italian sparrows at most restaurants we visited. They have been used to the environment so much that they land on the tables and chairs and the plants outside the facilities. I liked photographing them, but I have to admit it was a little difficult to do given that the local people had hardly ever seen a camera with a telephoto lens before. One waitress told me that she thought I was holding a lamp and using it to ruin the walls! The absence of rivers in the country has made seawater the only source of water for birds; as such, it was easy to find ducks near the nature reserve of Ghadira. I was able to see huge flocks of seagulls on a motorway, but I, unfortunately, could not take their photos as there were no stopping areas for cars because of the coastal cliffs. The birds were clever enough to settle in these places as there was limited human access. However, they are common in other places of the world seen these birds in Malta gave me a lot of excitement.

My overall experience in Malta was one to remember – the sceneries, the people, the food, the birds – everything about the trip was noteworthy. In the end, I felt that I could have probably seen more birds and gotten more pictures of them than I did, but you know what they say; better half a loaf than no bread. Malta is an incredible destination that offers experiences I definitely want to relive.