What is the National Bird of Malta?

The national bird of Malta is Blue Rock Thrush which is a common bird mostly found in rocky areas. This bird is endemic to Malta and is protected by law.

The Blue Rock Thrush is a small, robin-sized bird which is found in rocky areas throughout the Maltese Islands. It has a distinctive blue coloration on the back and rump and black patch on the breast that blends into the rest of its body colouration. It has a long tail which it uses for balance when climbing rocks.

Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Monticola solitarius
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Species: M. solitarius
Family: Muscicapidae

Physical Description

The Blue Rock Thrush is a medium-sized songbird with a long tail, short bill, and thick chestnut-brown plumage. Its back is grayish brown and its underparts are white. A dark eyeline separates the crown from the cheek. The male’s throat is black with a white band, while females’ throats are white or light gray. Both have olive-green legs and feet.

Facts about Blue Rock Thrush

• Blue Rock Thrush is a beautiful and charming famous bird in Malta.
• The Blue Rock Thrush is a medium-sized, grayish-brown and white bird with blue feathers on its head and breast.
• It has a dark bill and legs, and brown eyes.
• They can be found in open areas such as pastures, clearings, and rocky slopes where they feed on insects, seeds and berries.
• The blue rock thrush is a resident of the high mountains, where it occurs at elevations of 1,500 to 5,000 feet (457 to 1524 meters).
• The male sings a beautiful melodic song that sounds like “winkling” while perched high on a branch or rock ledge overlooking its territory.
• It is the only bird that nests on cliffs in our islands. It does not have any predators or enemies in its habitat, so it is not afraid of humans.
• Diet: Its diet includes insects such as beetles, butterflies and moths; spiders; grasshoppers; crickets; ants; centipedes; millipedes; snails; slugs; earthworms; wild berries such as mountain ash fruits (which may be poisonous to humans); seeds of grasses, sedges and rushes that grow on the water’s edge; and small fish, frogs and tadpoles.
• LifeSpan: The bird has a lifespan of about 12 years. The average lifespan for this bird is about 12 years. The maximum age for this species is 16 years. This bird can live up to 20 years in captivity.

Why is Blue Rock Thrush the national bird of Malta?

Blue Rock has been chosen the Malta’s national bird because it is the symbol of Malta’s landscape and culture. It is a good representation of Malta’s biodiversity, as it is endemic to our islands. It was chosen as national bird because of its beauty and the fact that it is endemic to our islands. It is also an indication of our love for nature and our efforts to protect it. So, due to all these facts Blue Rock Thrush is officially declared as national bird in Malta.