You know there’s a Blue Rock Thrush in the area when you hear its beautiful song. The male sings a clear, melodious call that you can hear frequently from February to May and again in the autumn. Unfortunately, it is that very song which has threatened the Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola Solitarius). Since 1971, this - the National Bird of Malta - is a protected species.

There were days when people enjoyed keeping the beautiful blue bird in a cage to enjoy its melodious call. The young would be stolen from accessible nests to be raised in captivity, causing a marked decrease in the population. Despite protection by law, alas, this practice has not stopped entirely.

Luckily, the females are left alone because they are a boring brown and don’t sing.

Malta’s national birds are local residents and breed frequently. Known locally as il-Merill, the Maltese Blue Rock Thrush nests in rock cavities, laying three to six eggs, with a pair sometimes having two broods in one breeding season, which lasts from March/April to May/June.

Therefore, the Blue Rock Thrush is still quite common in Malta but it has retreated to the sea-cliff habitats to get away from human interference. Indeed, its Latin scientific name monticola (mountain dweller) refers to its preference for rocky habitats while solitarius (solitary) indicates that it enjoys being left alone!

Due to the bird’s preference for cliffs, you’ll find the Maltese Blue Rock Thrush population mainly along the western coast of the island. Go to the Majjistral Nature and History Park to spot them. The birds also enjoy telegraph poles, wires, abandoned buildings, fortifications and rubble walls as perches.

The omnivorous bird grows to 20-23 cm long and has a long slim bill to eat worms, lizards, skinks, grasshoppers, as well as other insects and berries. And all to sing that beautiful song.