Autumn hunting opens with a 500-bird turtle dove quota
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Turtle doves, a declining species, may be hunted only in September and only up to a national limit of 500.
Malta's 2026 autumn hunting season is open as migrating birds cross the islands towards Africa. The European turtle dove, a species that has declined across much of Europe, may be hunted only during September, with a national quota of 500 birds. Hunters must report every bird immediately, including whether it is an adult or a juvenile.
The season does not make other birds fair game: protected species remain illegal to shoot. Enforcement matters most at the peak of migration, when raptors, bee-eaters, herons and swallows pass through alongside huntable species.
Autumn is also one of the best times to watch migration over Malta. Report illegal hunting to the police on 119 or to BirdLife Malta.