Birds of Passage

Bird migration between Europe and Africa is a fraught journey, particularly in the Mediterranean, where migratory birds are shot and trapped in large numbers. In Malta, thousands of hunters share a shrinking countryside. They also rub shoulders with a strong bird-protection and conservation lobby. Drawing on years of ethnographic fieldwork, this book traces the complex interactions between hunters, birds and the landscapes they inhabit, as well as the dynamics and politics of bird conservation. Birds of Passage looks at the practice and meaning of hunting in a specific context, and raises broader questions about human-wildlife interactions and the uncertain outcomes of conservation.

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1. Troubled Journeys
Chapter 2. All in the Blood
Chapter 3. The Rising Tide of Conservation
Chapter 4. Making Place for Hunting
Chapter 5. Watching over Migrants
Chapter 6. How Many Fowl Is Fair?

Conclusion

Glossary of Species Mentioned in the Book
References
Index