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| Source: BirdLife Malta |
Of the 7 finch species targeted by trappers, 6 have bred historically in Malta. However, as trapping became more intensive fewer of these birds continued to breed here. Today the species have either been reduced to sporadic and irregular breeders, or no longer breed at all in the Maltese islands.
Many of these species, such as the Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Common Chaffinch, are common garden birds in other European countries. Malta therefore has the dubious distinction of being the only European country that does not have a viable population of breeding finches. It isn’t only larger countries that have populations of breeding finches but also many of the central Mediterranean islands including Sicily and the much smaller islands of Lampedusa, Pantellaria and Linosa that also have breeding finch populations.
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| Source: Dick Jeeves. |
Malta, like the other central Mediterranean islands, has suitable habitat, food and water for these species to breed and raise their young. Every year, a few pairs of finches do try to breed in the Maltese islands and despite the high levels of illegal trapping some even succeed. If trapping in the Maltese islands stops, and the law is strictly enforced, Malta can have songbirds like every other country in Europe.