top of page
Owls, Hoopoes, Wrynecks, Bee-Eaters, Rollers, Kingfishers & Orioles
Barn Owl
Western Barn Owl
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
A beautiful, very pale owl with a diagnostic, heart-shaped face and black eyes. Underparts white to buff. Buff-bellied individuals most likely to be confused with other owls, but note lack of barring and streaking. Instead the underparts may be covered in small spots. Underwing almost white. Posture upright, both on ground and when perched. Flight-pattern variable, but often hunts from low above ground in slow and buoyant flight.
Diet
The natural diet of the Barn Owl in the wild comprises small mammals, mainly rodents. A Barn Owl will usually swallow small prey items whole. It is much better to provide small food items for Barn Owls rather than small parts of larger animals (such as pieces of meat).
Longevity record
17 years 11 months (A bird found dead in the Netherlands, 102460)
Barbaġann
Tyto alba
Strigiformes
Tytonidae
Rare
Usually seen in
May, October - December
Occasionally seen in
January - April, June, August
29-10-17
29-10-17
29-10-17
1/2
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
33 - 39
80 - 95
280 - 400
Click on the image to open slideshow
Cucumiau
Little Owl
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Also known as 'Cucumiau'.
A small, tubby and compact owl with long legs, yellow eyes and stern expression. Upperparts greyish brown to buff, with boldest white spots of any small owl in the region. Underparts whitish with heavy, brown streaking. Flight characteristic, with alternating wing flapping and closed wings. Runs, or even hops along the ground. Posture mostly erect, but hunched when in alarm.
Diet
Diet consists primarily of crickets, grasshoppers and other invertebrates such as beetles and earthworms, as well as small mammals. Small birds are also taken during the breeding season. Little Owls are most active at dawn and dusk, and after dark when most hunting occurs.
Longevity record
11 years 1 months (UK, ES 03970)
Usually seen in
-
Occasionally seen in
March, October
Click on the image to open slideshow
1/0
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
23 - 28
50 - 57
105 - 260
Scops Owl
Eurasian Scops Owl
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
Small, starling sized owl. Smaller than Little Owl. Perches in upright position. Ear-tufts not prominent when relaxed, but gives angular shape to head. Plumage appears uniform, and colour varies from brown to rufous-brown. At closer range, whitish spots on shoulders and yellow eyes with dark surround, are visible. Appears long-winged in flight.
Diet
Scops owls hunt from perches in semi-open landscapes. They prefer areas which contain old trees with hollows; these are home to their prey which includes insects, reptiles, small mammals such as bats and mice and other small birds. The owls will also eat earthworms, amphibians and aquatic invertebrates.
Longevity record
6 years 11 months (Hungary, 392864)
Usually seen in
April - May, September - November
Occasionally seen in
March, June, December
Click on the image to open slideshow
15-10-17
29-09-18
1/6
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
16 - 20
47 - 54
60 - 135
Long-eared Owl
Long-eared Owl
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually and occasionally in pairs.
A medium sized, brown and long-winged owl, with long ear-tufts and deep orange eyes. Only half the size of Eagle Owl. Differs from the more similar Short-eared Owl by darker (orange) eyes, longer ear-tufts and heavily streaked lower belly. In flight, note paler wing-tips (only finely barred, not tipped black).
Diet
Their principal prey are rodents and small hares. Long-eared owls also occasionally eat small birds, small snakes, and insects.
Longevity record
17 years 11 months (A shot bird in Finland, H-7998)
Qattus / Kukkun / Kokka tal-Qrun
Asio otus
Strigiformes
Strigidae
Very scarce
Usually seen in
September - November
Occasionally seen in
February - June, December
Click on the image to open slideshow
1/0
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
35 - 37
84 - 95
210 - 370
Short-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually and in small groups.
A medium sized owl, which can give a very pale impression in flight. Quite similar to a Long-eared Owl with folded tufts, but differs in bright yellow eyes, darker wing-tips and heavily streaked breast in contrast to pale belly.
Diet
Several owls may hunt over the same open area. Its food consists mainly of rodents, especially voles, but it will eat other small mammals such as mice, ground squirrels, shrews, rats, bats, muskrats and moles.
Longevity record
20 years 9 months (Found dead in Germany, 3066160)
Usually seen in
March - April, September - November
Occasionally seen in
August, December - February
Click on the image to open slideshow
1/18
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
34 - 43
90 - 105
206 - 475
Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually or in small groups.
Always unmistakable. Distinct, foldable, fan-like crest. Rounded, rectangular wings and long curved bill. Buff body, black wings and tail with conspicuous white barring. Catches the eye when flying by in undulating, butterfly-like motion.
Diet
The diet of the Eurasian hoopoe is mostly composed of insects, although small reptiles, frogs and plant matter such as seeds and berries are sometimes taken as well. It is a solitary forager which typically feeds on the ground
Longevity record
5-10 years
Daqquqa tat-Toppu
Upupa epops
Bucerotiformes
Upupidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
March - April, August - September
Occasionally seen in
February, May - June, October - November
Click on the image to open slideshow
1/25
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
25 - 29
44 - 48
70 - 85
Wryneck
Eurasian Wryneck
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually.
The Wryneck is the only type of Woodpecker that migrates regularly over Malta.
Its plumage is a mix of rusty, creamy brown and grey, resembling a nightjar. A rather unmistakable bird, despite the lack of striking plumage features. Behaviour both passerine- and woodpecker-like, but with less woodpecker-like tree clinging. Often feeds on the ground. May give a reptile-like impression.
Diet
The diet of the Eurasian wryneck consists chiefly of ants but beetles and their larvae, moths, spiders and woodlice are also eaten.
Longevity record
6 years 10 months, (Czech Republic, Z 735064)
Usually seen in
March - April, September - November
Occasionally seen in
February, May, August
Click on the image to open slideshow
16-04-2017
1/15
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
16 - 18
25 - 27
32 - 43
Blue-cheeked Bee Eater
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually, in small groups or together with European Bee-eaters. Although the sighting occurrence is classified as very rare, these birds are being sighted nearly every year as of 2017.
A predominantly green bee-eater having. Its face has blue sides with a black eye stripe, and a yellow and brown throat; the beak is black. Sexes are mostly alike but the tail-streamers of the female are shorter.
Blue-cheeked bee-eaters may nest solitarily or in loose colonies of up to ten birds. They may also nest in colonies with European bee-eaters. The nests are located in sandy banks, embankments, low cliffs or on the shore of the Caspian Sea. They make a relatively long tunnel of 1 to 3 m in length in which the four to eight (usually six or seven), spherical white eggs are laid. Both the male and the female take care of the eggs, although the female alone incubates them at night.
Diet
Blue-cheeked Bee-Eaters are insectivorous, eating mainly flying insects. They can eat dangerous insects such as bees, wasps and hornets which are rendered harmless before being eaten: the tail (and sting) of the insects is rubbed against the perch to express the venom and often the sting itself.
Longevity record
-
Usually seen in
-
Occasionally seen in
March - May, September
Click on the image to open slideshow
1/8
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
28 - 32
35 - 39
38 - 56
European Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen in groups or large flocks but rarely individually.
Unmistakable if seen well. Stunning, bright yellow throat and turquoise underparts. Upperside of wings multicoloured with noticeable light buff shoulders. In flight the underwing shows a black trailing edge, which on the secondaries becomes broader closer to the body. Often flies high and then reveals itself only by its flight call.
Diet
European Bee-Eaters are insectivorous, eating mainly flying insects. They can eat dangerous insects such as bees, wasps and hornets which are rendered harmless before being eaten: the tail (and sting) of the insects is rubbed against the perch to express the venom and often the sting itself.
Longevity record
5 years 11 months (Germany, NA 15042)
Qerd in-Naħal
Merops apiaster
Coraciiformes
Meropidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
April - June, August - September
Occasionally seen in
March, July, October
Click on the image to open slideshow
1/31
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
25 - 29
36 - 40
44 - 78
Roller
European Roller
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually or in small groups.
Unmistakable if seen well. Corvoid-like at a distance. Tail is however quite a bit shorter, and wings slightly longer. Flight-feathers dark, contrasting with turquois coverts, both below and above. Underparts especially striking in flight, being pale blue (sometimes seemingly white) all over, except dark flight-feathers and base of tail. Bill heavy. Immature duller than adults with faint streaked breast and slightly rufous coverts. Wing-beats deep and regular. Flies mostly in a straight line. Migrating birds move in characteristic procession-like formations.
Diet
European rollers are carnivores. Their diet includes large insects, small reptiles, rodents, and even frogs. The nestlings mostly eat grasshoppers and bush crickets.
Longevity record
9 years 2 months (A shot bird in Poland, E 30905)
Usually seen in
April - May, September
Occasionally seen in
June - August, October
Click on the image to open slideshow
1/18
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
29 - 32
52 - 58
125 - 160
Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually or in small groups.
Unmistakable bird in most situations. Azure blue above, and orangy brown below. Very short tail, and large head with long and heavy bill. Often overlooked despite it's bright colours, due to small size and obscuring habitat. Often one only catches a glimpse of the light blue back, when it flies away close to the water surface in a whirring, darting motion.
Diet
Kingfishers eat mainly fish but they also take aquatic insects, freshwater shrimps and tadpoles to top up their diet.
Longevity record
21 years 0 months (Belgium, N 18630)
Għasfur ta' San Marti
Alcedo atthis
Coraciiformes
Alcedinidae
Common
Usually seen in
August - September
Occasionally seen in
October - March, June - July
Click on the image to open slideshow
18-08-18
1/16
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
17 - 20
24 - 26
16 - 23
Golden Oriole
Eurasian Golden Oriole
Maltese name/s
Scientific binomen
Order
Family
Sighting occurrence
Info*
Usually seen individually, in small groups and in small flocks.
Adult male unmistakable if seen well. Body and head bright yellow, lores, wings and tail black. Females and young males less distinct, with lime-green back, pale, streaked underparts and black wings and tail. Bill quite strong with reddish colour in adults, and grey in young birds. Despite the bright plumage the bird is difficult to see due to skulking behaviour in foliage. Usually spotted when moving from tree to tree in undulating flight. Then resembles a large thrush or woodpecker, quickly darting upwards into the next tree-top.
Diet
Orioles feed on fruits, nectar and insects. They are capable of dispersing the seeds of many berry-bearing plants including the invasive Lantana camara. An oriole has been recorded preying on southern flying lizards.
Longevity record
10 years 11 months (UK, RA 59406)
Tajra Safra
Oriolus oriolus
Passeriformes
Oriolidae
Fairly common
Usually seen in
April - May, August - September
Occasionally seen in
June - July, October
Click on the image to open slideshow
1/25
Length (cm):
Wingspan (cm):
Weight (g):
22 - 25
44 - 47
68 - 84
*Some information was sourced from ''BirdID Nord University''.
bottom of page