Flamingo resting at Salina saltpans, ALE and BirdLife stand guard

An adult Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) has arrived at the Salina saltpans, near St Paul's Bay, this morning . Highly prized by poachers, especially in its bright pink breeding plumage, ALE officers and BirdLife Malta staff rushed to the area to stand guard over the bird.

The flamingo can be easily seen from the coast road next to the saltpans and passing members of the public have been able to enjoy watching the bird as it feeds in the shallow water, and sleeps, tucking its head under one wing.

Salina is a magnet for flamingos visiting Malta as they travel between their breeding and feeding grounds around the Mediterranean, thanks to the ideal conditions of the shallow salty lagoon and mud flats.

It is however far from being a safe haven.

Last autumn, an adult flamingo and three offspring flew to Salina, probably to roost in the area. At the time, local residents reported hearing gunshots in the middle of the night and the four birds were not seen again.

On another occasion, two injured juvenile flamingos that had been shot by a man hunting from the coast at Qawra Point landed in the vicinity of the saltpans.

Although the birds were rescued, the birds eventually died due to the injuries suffered.

BirdLife Malta and the ALE will continue to keep a watch over the bird while it remains in the saltpans and local residents are encouraged to help by keeping an eye on the flamingo and reporting any suspicious activity to the police.

"It would be a terrible shame to lose another of these stunning birds to poachers, when we should be enjoying seeing it while it is here and wishing it luck when it continues its migration," BirdLife Malta said.