Comino Bird Sanctuary

Description
Comino is a small rocky island between Malta and Gozo. It has 2 small sandy beaches, cliffs and almost all the island is covered with garrigue. Only 4 people live on Comino so the island is undisturbed. The island is a bird sanctuary where hunting and trapping is prohibited all year round. Comino is very interesting for its rich fauna and flora especially migratory birds.

Some of the Birds Ringed on Comino:

Top Row (Left to Right): Turtle Dove, Wryneck, Redstart, Wood Warbler.

Bottom Row (Left to Right): Cuckooo(Rufous Form),Cuckooo(Grey Form) Icterine Warbler, Scops Owl.

Left Coloumn (Top to Bottom): Northern Whetear, Hoopoe.

Right Coloumn (Top to Bottom): Common Kestrel, Black-eared Whetear.

Centre: Nightjar.

What to See
Resident and Breeding Birds: A few pairs of Cory Shearwater and Yelkeaun Shearwater breed on the cliffs. Blue Rock Thrush, Short-toed Lark, Sardinian Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, S panish Sparrow,, Common Starling breed on the island and possibly Corn Bunting. Common Kestrel breed in the past.

Summer Highlights: Comino is rather quiet in summer for birding. Short-toed Lark, Blue Rock Thrush and Sardinian Warbler are all busy with the nest. Near the coast one can see Yellow-legged Gulls.

Winter Highlights: Wintering birds include Wryneck, Skylark, Robin, Dunnock, Stonechat, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Firecrest and Goldcrest. A few finches also winter including Chaffinch and Linnet. Starlings can be seen in large flocks(occasionally several thousands) flying to their roosting sites before dusk.

Autumn Highlights: Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Night Heron and Little Egret can be seen flying over. Marsh Harrier, Honey Buzzard, Montagu�s Harrier, Black Kite, Common Kestrel and Hobby. Turtle Dove, Short-eared Owl, Scops, Owl, Nightjar, Alpine Swift and other Hirundines. Bee-eaters can be seen in flocks passing over head. Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Ring Ouzel(rare), Red-breasted Flycatcher and many passarine warblers including Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler., Subalpine Warbler, Wood Warbler and Willow Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler(scarce), Lesser Whitethroat(rare).

Spring Highlights: Springtime is the best time to birdwatch on the small island. Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Night Heron, Little Egret and also Great White Egret(Rare).Raptors include Marsh Harrier, Honey Buzzard, Montagu�s Harrier, Lesser Kestrel and Red-Footed Falcon(Late May ).Hirundines include Barn Swallow, House and Sand Martin and Common Swift. Redstart , Nightingale, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Wryneck, Short-toed Lark, Cuckoo, Bee-eater, Turtle Dove and Woodchat Shrike. Passarines include Spectacled Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Sedge, Warbler Garden Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Spotted, Pied and Collared Flycatcher. Golden Oriole, Nightjar and Scops Owl also seen.

Best time to Visit
On the Island of Comino a Bird Ringing Project is held twice a year by Birdlife Malta; for a month in spring (15th of April to 15th of May) and two weeks in autumn (15th October to 31st October). During these two periods, large numbers of birds are ringed and released, with a yearly average of around 1500 birds in spring and 800 birds in autumn. Therefore, the best time to visit Comino is during the two periods of the Ringing Project.

How to Get There Public Bus Transport: From Valletta : catch 45, From Sliema: catch 645 and from Bugibba: catch 48. Stop at the Comino ferries at Cirkewwa and catch the boat to the island. First trip is at about 7.30am but check with the hotel for the timetable. This ferry however operates only from April till end of October. You can spend the day birding but make sure to take with you a packed lunch and drink or book lunch at the only hotel on the island.

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