SmartBirds
“Kalimok – Brashlen” protected area“, © Damyan Petkov
In the period 24-26 May, the sixth international pelican census was held in South-Eastern Europe. It aimed at gathering information about the number and distribution of the endangered species Dalmatian pelican and Great white pelican in the region. The event was organized within the project “Pelican Way of LIFE” and was coordinated by the Hellenic ornithological society (HOS).
“Kalimok – Brashlen” protected area“, © Damyan Petkov
Teams from the Bulgarian Society for Protection of Birds (BSPB) also participated in the international initiative. They visited the wetlands of the greatest importance to the two pelican species in the country – Srebarna Lake, Persin Island, protected area “Kalimok-Brashlen”, Burgas Lakes, the dams Ovcharitsa and Rozov Kladenets, Studen Kladenets, Varna Lake, the islands and the sandy slopes along the Danube.
308 Dalmatian pelicans and 2396 Great white pelicans in total were counted in Bulgaria. The largest number of Dalmatian pelicans were observed in the three nesting sites of the species in the country: “Kalimok – Brashlen” protected area near the town of Tutrakan – 160 individuals, in the marshes of Persin Island – 93 individuals. and in Srebarna Lake – 24 ind. The largest number of Great white pelicans were found in the region of the Burgas Lakes – 1551 ind., in the region of the city of Varna – 400 ind., and in the area of the Kardzhali and Studen Kladenets dams – 267 ind.
Great white pelicans, © Svilen Cheshmedziev
During the Census special attention was paid to the three nesting sites of the Dalmatian Pelican in Bulgaria – Srebarna Lake, Persin Island, and the “Kalimok-Brushlen” Protected Area. At the moment, there are hatchlings in all the colonies. It is gratifying that the level of the Danube River in the current season is relatively high, which is of key importance for the condition of the wetlands on Persin Island and in the “Kalimok-Brushlen” Protected Area.
Dead Swamp,© Svilen Cheshmedziev
During the census, pelicans tagged with transmitters were not on the territory of Bulgaria. The four Dalmatian pelicans tagged with transmitters earlier this year are in Romania. Nasi, Hristina and Desi are in the area of the Danube Delta, and Albena is in a dam located south of the Romanian city of Targovishte. The Great white pelican Vaya, tagged with a transmitter in September 2021, is actively migrating to Bulgaria, and the bird is currently located in Porsuk Dam, located in Central Turkey.
The data gathered will contribute to a better knowledge of the two pelican species and to the conservation activities in Southeast Europe. Transborder cooperation is of key importance for the protection of these birds.
Peschina swamp, © Svilen Cheshmedziev
The actions for protecting the Dalmatian pelican are carried out within the project “Pelican Way of LIFE” (LIFE18/NAT/NL/000716), funded by the LIFE Programme of the European Union and with the assistance of the Whitlеy Fund for Nature.
