Malta voted in a referendum yesterday to decide whether to overturn a law that allows the hunting of breeding birds in spring, a centuries-old tradition that is not allowed anywhere else in the European Union.

Under an EU exemption, Maltese hunters are allowed 20 days to hunt turtle doves and quails between April and May, a time when the birds fly north to breed after wintering in Africa. Environmentalists have called repeatedly for the EU to ban the practice that they say endangers the species. The hunters argue that the autumn season is not enough and reject the environmentalists' argument. Polls have shown no clear majority for either camp.