Christmas lights that are decorating the “new” trees placed in Mosta Square a few days ago are frightening the birds which had already been displaced when the previous trees had been butchered at the hands of the local council, BirdLife CEO Mark Sultana said.

In a post on Facebook, Sultana attacked the local council for lighting up the trees which will scare away the birds.

The Mosta council has been harshly criticised in the past days for its decision to butcher ficus trees which had been planted in the main square of the locality 50 years ago. The hundreds of birds that nested in the trees were displaced and footage of them flying around the area in search of their “home” had been heartbreaking.

A protest by a number of activists had led to the withdrawal of the decision, but not before the ficus trees had been rendered as stumps following heavy pruning. The council had “replaced” the ficus trees with others.

But now the lighting of the “new” trees has also come under fire by the BirdLife CEO, as the decorations will keep the displaced birds away.