For the first time ever in Bulgaria, the majestic Greater Flamingo has been recorded nesting at Lake Atanasovsko near Burgas. This remarkable discovery was made possible thanks to the conservation efforts of the LIFE project “The Lagoon of LIFE”. The news was proudly announced by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds /BirdLife Bulgaria (BSPB) and the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation (BBF) during the 44th birthday celebration of the establishment of Atanasovsko Lake as a reserve on 12th of August.
On 16 June 2024, as a part of the monitoring activities of the LIFE project, BSPB team observed at least three juvenile birds, which were about one week old at the time. This significant event is the result of the successful establishment of a breeding colony of approximately 45 pairs of Greater flamingos into the lagoon, the first of its kind in Bulgaria.
The nesting colony was first formed in July 2023, but the birds couldn't successfully breed due to the late timing - usually, they lay eggs in May to ensure they have enough time to grow strong before the winter season. However, this year, the birds successfully raised their young, which, according to the ornithologist Dr. Petar Iankov from BSPB, indicates that Lake Atanasovsko offers all the necessary safety and other key conditions for the successful breeding of the species.
"The flamingo is extremely sensitive to human presence, especially during the breeding season. Therefore, observations are carried out from a great distance so as not to disturb the birds. The flamingo's nest is a high pile of mud, silt and shells up to 60 cm high to protect the eggs and newly hatched birds from the water, but also because of the birds' long legs. Parents feed the chicks special nutritious food secreted from glands in their digestive tracts while they are still too young to feed themselves.”
The late announcement of the hatching of the Greater flamingo chicks in the Lake was because of the birds’ high sensitivity. The information was shared with the public only after experts were certain that the chicks were safe and would not be disturbed.
The Project Conservation officer – Spas Uzunov from BBF emphasized the significance of this success for the conservation of the Greater flamingo and the future of Lake Atanasovsko as a vital Natura 2000 area. "The flamingo only nests in safe areas, free from predators and human disturbance. The fact that for the first time, they were able to raise chicks here is a great achievement for all the efforts made in the lagoon over the years," he stressed. “The Greater Flamingo increased its presence in Atanasovsko Lake more than 30 times since the project started in 2018 - the highest number was registered in November 2023 – 4170 individuals.”
The successful breeding of the Greater Flamingo at Lake Atanasovsko once again demonstrates its importance as a key ecosystem for rare and endangered European species and habitats and the impact of LIFE funding in supporting its long-term conservation.
The 6 years LIFE Project “Maintain the Man-Lake Symbiosis for the Benefit of Species and Habitats of EU conservation concern” / LIFE17 NAT/BG/000558 (short name: The Lagoon of Life) is implemented in the Natura 2000 area Atanasovsko Lake by the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation, Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/ BirdLife Bulgaria, Black Sea Salinas Ltd. and Zaedno 2011 NGO.
Hear more about the flamingo in the video with Dr. Petar Iankov in an interview with BNT on August 14, 2024 (apologies for the poor sound in places due to the aircraft noise the birds are used to).
