Local Scientists Document Two New Maltese Bird Breeds

Local scientists have officially documented two new Maltese bird breeds after two decades of documentation.

Arnold and Jeffrey documented the unique bird landraces that developed on the islands through generations of selective breedings for the past twenty years.

‘Today, we are excited to present our latest scientific work describing two remarkable captive landraces of the Spanish Sparrow: the Opal and Agate forms.’

‘These birds are far more than beautiful colour variants. Through careful breeding over multiple generations, they have become genetically stable, heritable lineages that originated here in Malta, adding another fascinating chapter to our islands' rich avicultural heritage.’

‘This publication is another step towards documenting and safeguarding Malta's unique biological and cultural heritage before these precious lineages are lost through neglect or uncontrolled crossbreeding’, wrote the team.

#MaltaDaily