The organization's stated aim is to "achieve protection of wild birds, natural habitat and biodiversity".
It started off more as a study group, but quickly came to realize that wild birds were in dire need of protection.
Malta is a very densely populated small Mediterranean island state, with no truly wild areas left.
The biggest threats to birds in Malta are habitat destruction (e.g. new roads, building development, hotels, golf courses), disturbance and direct persecution (hunting, trapping).
Foremost among its methods are education, especially through schools campaigns, publications, the media and an active junior member section; the management of two wetland nature reserves, namely Għadira and Is-Simar; lobbying the authorities for better bird-protection legislation; assisting the police for better law enforcement; reclaiming and improving degraded habitat; and doing research about birds and their habitat to identify more areas for protection.
BirdLife Malta issues various newsletters and magazines for its membership, and publishes books about natural history.