On Sunday, BirdLife Malta is giving the public a unique opportunity to catch a glimpse of the young black-winged stilts growing at the Għadira Nature Reserve, as the birds take their early steps in the wild.
The reserve is usually closed in June to avoid disturbing breeding birds like this species and the little ringed plover, while carrying out essential maintenance.
Since the first confirmed breeding record of black-winged stilts (fras-servjenti in Maltese) in the Maltese islands in 2011, the species has bred almost annually at the nature reserve.
The young are nidifugous, which means they leave the nest and start feeding within a few hours after hatching. They grow quickly feeding on insects and Mediterranean killifish, and usually fledge early to mid-July.
Both adults and juveniles migrate south by late July to mid-August.
The Għadira Nature Reserve will be open on Sunday, June 29 from 8 to 11am and entrance is free. Follow the event on Facebook.
