SmartBirds
© Damyan Petkov
At the end of October, a team of experts and volunteers from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) carried out several activities to improve nesting conditions for the protected Dalmatian pelican in the “Kalimok-Brushlen” Protected Area.
The “Kalimok-Brushlen” site is a wetland of international importance for preserving various waterfowl species. Similar to restoration projects at the Persina Island swamps, a successful project here restored the water regime. The Dalmatian pelican, a species found in the area, inspired the construction of a wooden stilt platform in December 2020. At that time, the BSPB team also placed three life-sized pelican models on the platform to quickly attract Dalmatian pelicans. The following spring, a third breeding colony of this magnificent species formed in Bulgaria, following colonies at Lake Srebarna and the Persina Nature Park. In 2024, the colony recorded a record high of 92 pairs successfully raising 120 chicks.
© Damyan Petkov
To make the platforms more attractive to pelicans ahead of the new breeding season, the team conducted a technical inspection and cut enough reeds to cover the two structures, so they closely resemble reed islands—preferred nesting sites for this species. With the excellent results and thanks to volunteers, the platform area was doubled from 32 sq. m to 64 sq. m.
© Plamena Gospodinova
With this additional space, we hope that the nesting pelican population will continue to grow. Additionally, the team made minor repairs to ensure even greater durability and resilience of the platforms.
© Svilen Cheshmedhziev
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who joined this challenging fieldwork and to our hosts from the Association for Tourism Development in the Tutrakan Region, who provided invaluable support. We hope the Dalmatian pelicans will have yet another successful breeding season in the “Kalimok-Brushlen” Protected Area.
© Svilen Cheshmedzhiev
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.
