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Researchers studying the Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea colony on the island of Gozo, Malta found one of their study birds dead in front of its breeding burrow last week.  An X-ray taken by a veterinarian confirmed that the bird had been shot.  This is the third shot Cory's Shearwater found by the EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project researchers this year.

The shot Cory's Shearwater.  Photograph by Benjamin Metzger, BirdLife Malta

The researchers also noticed that up to four other Cory's Shearwaters (known as Ciefa in Maltese) from two different burrows in the study site had disappeared.  One of these nests was empty, while the other one still contained an egg.

The five-year EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project is being co-funded by the European Commission and the Maltese Government as well as by several BirdLife International partners, including BirdLife Malta.

"The killing of the study birds in Gozo not only hampers the efforts of this EU Project, but also puts the whole colony in peril, direct persecution can only make their situation worse," said Dr Benjamin Metzger, Chief Researcher of the LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project.

Malta is home to internationally important breeding colonies of three species of seabirds, including the Cory's Shearwater and Vulnerable Garnija or Yelkouan Shearwater P. yelkouan.  The EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project aims to identify important areas for these species at sea athatcan lead to the creation of  Marine Protected Areas under European Union legislation.

Both these shearwater species have been identified as potential candidates for ACAP listing (click here).

Click here to read an earlier ACAP news story on the EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project.

See also http://www.birdlifemalta.org/photos/otherfiles/5174.pdf.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 2 July 2012