An  Egyptian Vulture (Avultun Abjad) roosted in Malta overnight, the second such bird to come to Malta in recent weeks.

The rare and endangered bird arrived in Malta on Wednesday afternoon and after spending the night in the outskirts of Rabat, left safely early on Thursday morning to continue its migratory journey, BirdLife Malta said.

Volunteers who are participating in the BirdLife annual Raptor Camp monitored the bird until its departure.

Unlike the Egyptian Vulture that visited Malta during the first week of September, the latest visitor did not appear to have been satellite-tagged.

BirdLife Malta organises the raptor camp to monitor illegal hunting of wild birds during the period when the peak autumn migration coincides with the hunting season. 

"The Egyptian Vulture’s visit proves once again how important Malta is as a resting place Malta for vulnerable birds. Juvenile birds like this one would have probably hatched in Italy, thanks to huge conservation efforts made there, and protecting it during its first-ever migration to Africa is crucial to see this species making a comeback in Europe. Juvenile Egyptian Vultures may spend a few years in Africa before returning as adults to Europe to breed, so protecting these young birds is an investment in their future" the NGO said.

The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is classified as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.