Something you wouldn’t particularly expect to see on the Island of Malta is a delightfully cluttered and vibrant ‘Duck Village.’ It takes you a little aback as you are wandering and taking in the views of the harbour in the little coastal town of Sliema. Located on tiny Manoel Island near to the Manoel Fort in Gżira, this refuge for ducks and a variety of other animals has been set up and, by the looks of it, provides a rather delightful and harmonious abode for our more fluffy and feathered friends.
The style of the mini ‘village’ is very kitsch and assembled over the years clearly by a very passionate and artistic local volunteer. You can look at the village for a long while and keep spotting new things, such as mannequins dressed in Christmas hats and plenty of hidey-holes for the ducks.
You can find guinea pigs, cats, rabbits, pigeons, ducks, doves and geese all happy as larry and it is so lovely to see this. There are donation boxes where you can give as little or as much as you want. I gave a little and I think if you can spare a little bit of something it can go towards the food for the animals and the upkeep of the village, which provides entertainment for many people, both local and visiting. Every little would help as Duck Village is funded solely by these public donations. Apparently an old man visits the village every day to feed the ducks which is really heart-warming to hear!
I was so surprised to see a lovely ginger cat so tame around all the birds! It was just sitting on a fence minding its own business whilst a couple of pigeons happily pecked at food just beside it. (I didn’t manage to get a great photograph of this but below you can see the pigeons!)
The location of this duck village is fantastic; right by the water with a good view of Sliema where you can take it all in from a distance. It adds a lot of character to the town and the vibrancy of the mini village sparks happiness and joy – both for the aesthetic value and the generosity value. That these animals have a real kindred spirit in the man that set all of this up is just such a lovely thought.
Sadly, there is recent talk that the village may be closed or have to move due to a luxury project plan for Manoel Island. This is very sad news so do get to visit the village as soon as you can if you were wanting to see it! (Only if this is possible in Covid times of course.)
I marvelled thoroughly at the duck village on Manoel Island and spent time time taking photographs, saying hello to all the animals and watching others wander by and smile. This is a must visit if you find yourself in Sliema and if you can spare a small donation, you will be helping some animals live very happy lives also – what could be better than that?
Want to know what Malta is like to visit in January? Check out this post.
