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History of Ornithology in Malta

Publisher: BirdLife Malta

Publication Year: 2016

Binding: Hardback

Page Count: 390

ISBN Number: 9789995781866

Price: £ 45.00

History of Ornithology in Malta

Meticulously researched, beautifully illustrated and eminently readable, this book gives a sweeping account of the evolution of ornithological study in Malta, from its rudimentary beginnings in the sixteenth century through to the cutting edge of present day research projects.

An introductory chapter describes the role of birds in Maltese culture from Neolithic times until the present day, including the contentious issues of trapping and hunting and the slow progress of bird protection legislation. The protagonists in the history, the birds and their observers, are introduced over the course of the following twelve chapters, beginning with the earliest written reference to birds in Malta in 1575.

The first scientific checklist of Maltese avifauna appeared in 1843, published by the ‘father of Maltese ornithology’, Antonio Schembri, and laying the foundation for further studies. During the 19th and early 20th century the checklist was regularly updated with additions and corrections by a procession of distinguished ‘shotgun ornithologists’ whose studies, as residents or visitors to Malta, were based almost entirely on observation of skins or stuffed specimens. It was not until the mid 20th century, with the development of optical equipment and an increasing interest in migration and bird behaviour that ornithological study began to focus on living birds.

The final chapter describes developments since the founding of the Malta Ornithological Society in 1962. A bird ringing station was set up in 1965 and the first bird, an Icterine Warbler was ringed by BTO ringer Mont Hirons, with his trainee, author Joe Sultana. Other developments have included the setting up of two wetland nature reserves and an observatory, publication of the Malta Breeding Bird Atlas 2008 and EU LIFE projects to study Yelkouan Shearwaters and identify Marine Important Bird Areas around Malta.

The history of museum collections and Maltese avian palaeontology are described in appendices. An annotated bibliography gives a comprehensive list of ornithological literature published since 1962 and there are two indices, one for birds and one for people. Finally, there is a profile of the authors and of BirdLife Malta.

The lavish illustrations on every page make this book a delight to read and add an extra dimension. The characters are brought vividly to life by means of portraits, photographs, title pages, correspondence and diaries. Their various rivalries and jealousies are revealed through quotations and anecdotes. Footnotes are used to clarify and extend many of the points made in the text.

I found only one cause for complaint while reading this book. It was frequently necessary to flick back through the pages or refer to the page number and table of contents in order to get my bearings and remind myself which chapter I was reading. A page header giving the title of the chapter would have been a welcome feature.

Book reviewed by Genevieve Bridgeman



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