Satellite tracked British Cuckoos flying south, may head to Malta

GPS readings from two male British satellite tagged Cuckoos (Daqquqa Kahla) currently migrating south show that they have chosen the Central Mediterranean Flyway, on which Malta lies, indicating that Malta could host the Cuckoos in the near future. 

The latest signals from two Cuckoos, named Chris and Martin by researchers, place these birds in the Milan and Ferrara areas of Northern Italy.

Nicholas Barbara, BirdLife Malta Policy and Conservation Officer agrees the Cuckoos may well stop here “Malta is one of the few islands which serve as resting spots on the sea crossing for birds using the Central Mediterranean flyway. With three of these five British Cuckoos choosing this route, we look forward to finding out whether any of them will stop over in Malta.”

Cuckoos are in decline in the UK and this project is the first of its kind, which many hope will identify some of the reasons why the species is struggling. The project has attracted extensive media attention in the UK, with the BBC sponsoring the project and two celebrity presenters following and personally sponsoring individual Cuckoos. 

While the news of their current locations is of great benefit to bird migration studies, it could also be a worry for the British project. Due to the illegal hunting situation locally, time spent in Malta could pose a risk to the survival of these Cuckoos.

 Although protected under both Maltese and European legislation Cuckoos regularly fall victim to illegal hunting in Malta; the most recent of these being three illegally shot Cuckoos recovered by BirdLife Malta this spring.  Two British ringed Cuckoos have in the past been recovered after being shot in Malta.

As Chris and Martin near Malta, the eyes of both local and international bird watchers will be fixed on their progress and we can only hope that these birds make their passage safely.  

These birds have been fitted with satellite tags by the BTO, or British Trust for Ornithology  – a prominent British ornithological research authority. A total of five Cuckoos were tagged towards the end of May and four of them are now migrating south to their wintering grounds, while one Cuckoo remains in the UK.

 Of the four heading south two have already reached Africa. One Cuckoo took the Western migratory flyway over Spain and Gibraltar, another took the Central Mediterranean Flyway and braved a sea crossing from Rome to Tunisia. Cuckoos Chris and Martin are still in Northern Italy on the Central Mediterranean Flyway.