The quail hunting season will be open from next Monday April 10 up until April 30, from two hours before sunrise to noon every day of the season, according to the legal notice 78/2023 that was published on Thursday.

The national quota stands at 2,400 quail and there are no individual quotas, a Department of Information statement said.

Every hunted bird must be reported immediately and anyone who goes hunting and does not catch anything must report the hunting effort, as explained in the Special License.

Any developments regarding the opening of hunting for turtle doves from April 17 to April 30 will be announced promptly.

This latter news issues from a recent court ruling upholding a request by BirdLife to prevent the government from declaring the spring hunting season for turtle doves.

The NGO had filed the application as the turtle dove is considered an endangered species by the EU.

The government responded to a prohibitory order, contending that the courts should reject BirdLife's request to halt the start of the spring hunting season.

Judge Giovanni Grixti granted the request and imposed a temporary suspension until the case's merits could be decided on April 18.

The season is anticipated to have begun by the hearing date, which is why the government wants to move it forward.

The government cited a stable population of turtle dove for its decision to open the hunting season in 2022, with similar arguments being used for the present case.