An article by Merilli Malta

Spring is arguably the best time to enjoy the outdoors! It’s probably also when it’s most obvious that we’re sharing the crag with the natural environment. The vegetation is booming and blooming, and the keen-eyed will notice that birds are up to something. Well, that they are! They’ve kicked off this year’s breeding season; they’re busy defending territories and building nests in which they’ll lay and incubate eggs and, if all goes well, they’ll be feeding chicks in a few weeks’ time.

There are a few bird species which co-inhabit the cliffs and valley walls with us climbers. Possibly the most iconic is the national bird, the Blue Rock-thrush (Merill). The Blue Rock-thrush stands some 20cm tall with a long, strong, black beak. Males boast a striking blue body with dark wings, while females are a mottled grey-brown. Their melodious song is often proclaimed from prominent vantage points, making them pretty conspicuous.

What we share in common is a desire for nice crevices in overhanging rock. The Blue Rock-thrush builds its nest there, out of reach from rats and snakes, but very much in the reach of climbers! Adult birds can abandon their eggs and young if they’re consistently disturbed, which would be a very undesirable – and avoidable! – consequence of our presence at the crag. 

Blue Rock-thrush nests are recognisable as open, shallow cups made of twigs, grass and other fibres built inside holes in the rock. Their eggs are a pale powder blue and about 2.5 cm long. Chicks hatch naked, then grow dark, speckled feathers. If you’re close to a nest, the adults will likely let off sharp, repetitive alarm calls from a safe distance. 

If you suspect you’ve come across a Blue Rock-thrush nest at a crag, here’s what to do:

• Take note of the sector or specific climb where the nest is, what you’ve observed, and take a few photos and a description of the site if it isn’t inside a climbing sector, and swiftly move on.
• Don’t climb in the immediate vicinity of the area. The Maltese climbing community is very serious about caring for and preserving our natural environment. Move on to the next sector. Be especially aware to not cause unnecessary noise.
• Inform the climbing association and the Merilli Malta project on merilli.malta@gmail.com – your observation will contribute to local research on the species.
• Do not share the location of the nest publicly. Unfortunately, there are still some poachers who persist in robbing Blue Rock-thrush nestlings to keep illegally.
• Avoid climbing in the vicinity of the nest for the next few weeks. The breeding season spans between March and June, so during this period approach with caution to determine if the adults and fledged young have successfully left the area. 
• Keep your canine buddy by your side if you take them to the crag. This should always be the rule, but from late April onwards there may be flightless fledglings about, and it would be pretty upsetting to see your dog munching on a baby bird.

Merilli Malta is a long-term research project led by professional ornithologists and climbers Benjamin Metzger and Marie Claire Gatt. It studies the movements and behaviour of adult and young Blue Rock-thrushes using colour-ringing, which allows the public to identify uniquely-marked birds through long-lens photography or telescope observations. If you’re interested in participating as a citizen-scientist or simply keen to find out more about the nature you’re part of, visit the project’s website www.merillimalta.org and follow Merilli Malta on Facebook and Instagram.