An international census of wintering Dalmatian pelicans on the Balkan Peninsula took place at the end of this year. The census aimed to collect data on the population size and distribution of the endangered Dalmatian pelican in the surveyed area.

A few weeks ago, the Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) completed another successful tagging and ringing mission in the National Park of the Messolonghi – Aitoliko Lagoon. The bird, named ‘Lilo’, has become the latest member of the team of Dalmatian pelicans tagged with a satellite transmitter within the Pelican Way of LIFE initiative in Western Greece.

The winter monitoring of Dalmatian pelicans occurred in December as part of the Pelican Way of LIFE initiative. Coordinated by the Romanian Ornithological Society, the monitoring in Romania engaged 13 teams, covering the wintering areas utilized by Dalmatian pelicans.

A collaborative effort involving the Danube Delta National Research and Development Institute (INCDDD), the Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR), and the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration (ARBDD) successfully fitted six Dalmatian pelicans with GPS-GSM satellite transmitters during late November and early December.

At the end of November and the beginning of December, a team from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) captured and successfully ringed four Dalmatian pelicans, placing satellite transmitters on three of them. The birds were tagged in the Burgas Lakes area.

In early July 2023, a team from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) organized a boat expedition along the Danube River to monitor the populations of rare bird species, including the iconic Dalmatian Pelican. This year’s goal was also to raise awareness among local communities about the conservation of the species and the river, through events held at two nesting sites – Persina Nature Park and the Kalimok-Brushlen Protected Area.

In the last few weeks, the team of the Hellenic Ornithological Society visited Messolonghi and Amvrakikos Gulf in order to coordinate tagging and monitoring activities of Dalmatian pelican chicks in the two important breeding colonies of the species.

An international census of wintering Dalmatian pelicans, which also took place in Romania at the end of 2022, shows encouraging results for the species population in the area.

In mid-February, the team of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) successfully ringed and tagged with satellite transmitters two Dalmatian pelicans. The birds were tagged in the Burgas Lakes area, Bulgaria.

Romania took part in the spring international counts of the Dalmatian pelican. In the country the action was coordinated by the Romanian Ornithological Society. The results show that the population of the Dalmatian pelican has been strongly affected by the bird flu.