More than 10 protected Collared Doves have been collected by environmental police after the birds were found dead within a relatively small area of Mtarfa.
The Malta Ranger Unit reported discovering the birds on Saturday, 5 September. Some appeared to have died recently, while others were already in different stages of decomposition.
Cause of death has not been established
Environmental Police Unit officers attended the site and collected the carcasses. According to the Malta Ranger Unit, the birds were being sent to a government-appointed veterinarian for X-rays and examination to establish how they died.
At present there is no confirmed cause. It would therefore be premature to describe the deaths as shooting, poisoning, disease or any other specific cause before veterinary findings are available.
A protected wild bird
The Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto, is a familiar bird across many Maltese urban and rural areas. Familiarity, however, should not be confused with lack of protection: the birds are protected under Malta's wild-bird legislation.
The discovery of multiple dead birds concentrated in one locality is therefore significant enough to warrant investigation, even though the eventual explanation remains unknown.
Why examining recovered birds matters
Wildlife investigations depend heavily on physical evidence. Veterinary examination can help identify trauma, disease and other possible causes, while X-rays may reveal injuries or foreign material that cannot be reliably identified from external observation alone.
Keeping the investigation evidence-led is especially important in cases involving protected wildlife. The responsible position is to report what is known and avoid attributing a cause until the authorities establish one.
Nature Malta will update the story if an official cause of death or enforcement outcome is subsequently released.