Rare Siberian Rubythroat spotted By BirdLife Malta At Għadira Nature Reserve
Local
BirdLife Malta has announced the discovery of a rare Siberian Rubythroat at Għadira Nature Reserve, where field ornithologists and researchers from its Ringing Scheme ringed a male on 11 November.
The Siberian Rubythroat (Calliope calliope) is an extremely rare visitor to Europe. The small songbird breeds in the coniferous forests of Siberia before migrating to India and Southeast Asia for winter.
Slightly larger than a European Robin, the male has brown upperparts, a distinctive white eyebrow and a striking ruby-red throat bordered by black and white markings.
This week's discovery marks only the second recorded sighting of the species in Malta. The first was a female ringed in Rabat in January 2004.
Credit: Ray Galea, Birdlife Malta
