A record 24 stranded Scopoli’s Shearwaters have been recovered and released back to sea so far this year, BirdLife Malta said on Wednesday.

It said the number, five more than last year, showed the worrying effect of increasing levels of light pollution across the Maltese Islands.

These stranded birds are fledglings, young birds that have left the nest on their maiden flight and become disoriented by bright lights from coastal developments and towns, resulting in them becoming stranded on land.

Most stranded shearwaters were found at Ħal Far and the Freeport in Malta, and Victoria and Xlendi in Gozo – areas with high levels of light pollution.

This trend was also seen in the record numbers of stranded Yelkouan Shearwaters earlier in the year.

Grounded shearwaters are extremely vulnerable to predation, collision with vehicles, and dehydration, making light-induced strandings a leading cause of mortality for young shearwaters worldwide.

"A change in our nocturnal environment has seen shearwater strandings increase dramatically in recent years. The current period of rapid urbanisation and development that Malta is currently undergoing is likely the major contributing factor to this deteriorating situation," the society said.

However, thanks to an increase in public awareness, more birds have been rescued and safely released.

Light pollution occurs as a result of poorly installed lights, excessive illumination of structures and inefficient directing of light. Once famed for its pristine night skies, Malta is now the 17th worst light-polluted country on Earth relative to population size.