Ringed Eurasian Spoonbill From Serbia Spotted At Malta’s Salina Nature Reserve

A Eurasian Spoonbill with a metal ring and a white colour ring marked BAAP was recently observed at Salina Nature Reserve, providing researchers with valuable information about its journey across Europe.

BirdLife Malta explained that colour rings allow individual birds to be identified from a distance without needing to recapture them. This helps researchers track where and when a bird was ringed, as well as where it has been observed throughout its life.

The story of this spoonbill began on 27 June 2017, when it was ringed as a chick at a colony in Baranda, Serbia, by fellow ringers within EURING.

The bird is now just over nine years old. Since being ringed, the spoonbill has been recorded several times in Hungary, including six sightings between May and August 2021.

After a four year gap, it was seen again in May 2025, with its last sighting before reaching Malta recorded on 7 July 2026.

The bird then arrived at Salina Nature Reserve, where it spent several days feeding and resting during its migration.

During its stay in Malta, it was unfortunately shot, causing some bleeding to its wing. However, it appeared to avoid serious injury and remained able to fly and feed.

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Photo Source: Mario V. Gauci (Bird Life Malta)