BirdLife Malta has launched a detailed historical overview and update on the status of the breeding birds of the Maltese islands.

The Breeding Birds of Malta, issued under the patronage of Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco, covers regular and irregular breeding birds and species introduced to Malta over the years.

Each of the regular breeding species is covered in detail with information about distribution and habitat, breeding and feeding habits, conservation implications and population trends.

The book, published after decades of research and observation, pools all scientific knowledge about the islands’ breeding birds including ornithological publications dating as far back as 1840.

Some 450 full colour pictures, taken mostly by local photographers, complement the information and display the birds in their full glory.

The publication, written by Joe Sultana, John Borg, Charles Gauci and Victor Falzon, identifies local threats, including the shrinkage in habitat as a result of urbanisation, illegal hunting and trapping.

BirdLife president Joseph Mangion said the book revealed two sides of the same coin: “On one hand, in managed areas and nature reserves, our breeding birds are thriving, and additional species are slowly establishing themselves. On the other hand, breeding birds outside these areas still face many threats.”

Hardbound copies costing €33 are available from local book shops, Book Distributors Ltd and the BirdLife Malta office.

www.birdlifemalta.org