Collection of news about wild flamingos

[Jana]

I start this thread to have a place where to post random news about wild flamingos occasionally. With emphasis on their European colonies.

Greater flamingo breeding colonies at two secret locations in Portugal
Flamingos found breeding in Portugal for the first time - Portugal Resident

Flamingos found breeding in Portugal for the first time

Flamingos found breeding in Portugal for the first time

Two greater flamingo colonies are breeding successfully for the first time in Portugal, the National Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) has announced.

“In the last few years, the population of flamingos has been increasing in Portugal, including in wetlands where they were rarely found,” explains the institute.

“However, despite this significant increase, this species, which is emblematic and attracts widespread researchers’ interest, had yet to successfully reproduce in Portugal,” it adds.

Greater flamingos abandon their large breeding colony at Molentargius (Sardinia, Italy)
Molentargius: colonia fenicotteri abbandona nidificazione

Molentargius: Flamingo colony abandons nesting

Disaster at Molentargius, the large flamingo nesting colony in the Quartu embankment abandoned the nesting embankment. The event took place between 23 and 26 May 2021, ie in the last three days - explains Davide Mocci, documentary filmmaker of Master film Cagliari.

WHAT HAPPENED?
The colony had already welcomed the birth of a number of small and numerous eggs had to hatch just these days, eggs that have already been devoured by birds "sweepers", seagulls and crows, while about fifty chickens are well and have been transferred by some adult flamingos at another point, exactly near a small protected area towards the initial part of the embankment, but the bulk of the colony, several thousand specimens, stopped nesting and a good part of it left the pond .
I honestly can't say about the causes, for the few elements I have, and surely the disturbing action is the most plausible for now, but it may not be the only one, but I hope that soon the actual causes of this damage can be known. very sad environmental for Cagliari and Sardinia.

Over 100 Greater flamingos spoted at Danube Delta this week, a very rare visitor
FOTO Peste 100 de păsări flamingo, văzute săptămâna aceasta în Delta Dunării

More than 100 flamingo birds, seen this week in the Danube Delta

More than 100 flamingo birds were seen earlier this week on Tuzla and Sărăturile Murghiol Lakes, according to the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration (DDBRA).

Thus, on Monday, the ecological inspectors from the Danube Delta Reserve observed 49 flamingo birds during the monitoring actions of the strictly protected area of Săraturi Murighiol lake and about 60 other specimens on Tuzla lake, it is said on the DDBRA Facebook page.

 

[Jurek7]

Greater flamingos abandon their large breeding colony at Molentargius (Sardinia, Italy)
Molentargius: colonia fenicotteri abbandona nidificazione

The text mentions that chicks were moved to other colony (if I understand well), but eggs were eaten by crows and gulls.

Such abandonments are common in flamingo breeding biology, and could be used to build a zoo population from abandoned eggs or chicks, which otherwise are doomed.

 

[Jana]

The text mentions that chicks were moved to other colony (if I understand well), but eggs were eaten by crows and gulls.

Such abandonments are common in flamingo breeding biology, and could be used to build a zoo population from abandoned eggs or chicks, which otherwise are doomed.

In theory yes. In real world of Europe, this borders on impossible. Local nature protection laws usually prohibit removal of animals and viable eggs without official approval, and this takes time and bureaucracy. Also, movement over national border would need another stamped document, not to mention what conditions would veterinary administrations require. So at the end of the day, the only real chance would be a licensed local wildlife rescue station that could act immediatelly and would have staff, resources and space for such an operation (handrearing of large number of chicks). I´m yet to see something like this happening here. In Africa or S.America - it´s has been done, but no chance in over-regulated Europe.

 

[Jana]

The whole group of ca 5.000 chicks that hatched at TUZ GÖLÜ lake in Turkey have perished due to lack of water.
Thousands of flamingos die in Turkey’s shrinking Lake Tuz

Tuz Golu (aka largest salt lake in Turkey) is one of only 2 remaining flamingo breeding localities in the country. Two or three decades ago, flamingos used more than a dozen different natural locations in central and eastern Turkey to breed but they all vanished due to rapid drainage of shallow lakes and marshes - surface water as well as water from deep wells is used for quickly growing agriculture, human settlements and industry. This winter, farmers dammed two major streams leading to the lake and pump all remaining water to their fields so the lake dried up before chicks could fledge.

The only remaining flamingo breeding location is the artificial island that was built by locals for flamingos in 2012 in marshes near Izmir (Aegean coast in the west).

Lake Urmia in Iran has decreasing flamingo population
Lake Urmia level declines by 30cm in Q1

Noting that this year, 35 to 40 thousand flamingos were counted in Lake Urmia islands, he highlighted that in recent years, the lake was host to 50 to 60 thousand flamingos, which significantly dropped this year due to lack of living conditions and high salt concentration.

The new flamingos clony near Algarve in Portugal (mentioned in first post) has produced 500 chicks.
Link to video

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

The whole group of ca 5.000 chicks that hatched at TUZ GÖLÜ lake in Turkey have perished due to lack of water.
Thousands of flamingos die in Turkey’s shrinking Lake Tuz

Tuz Golu (aka largest salt lake in Turkey) is one of only 2 remaining flamingo breeding localities in the country. Two or three decades ago, flamingos used more than a dozen different natural locations in central and eastern Turkey to breed but they all vanished due to rapid drainage of shallow lakes and marshes - surface water as well as water from deep wells is used for quickly growing agriculture, human settlements and industry. This winter, farmers dammed two major streams leading to the lake and pump all remaining water to their fields so the lake dried up before chicks could fledge.

The only remaining flamingo breeding location is the artificial island that was built by locals for flamingos in 2012 in marshes near Izmir (Aegean coast in the west).

Lake Urmia in Iran has decreasing flamingo population
Lake Urmia level declines by 30cm in Q1

The new norm: misuse of water resources? Lack of environmental law enforcement?

 

[Jana]

The new norm: misuse of water resources? Lack of environmental law enforcement?

There is nothing new about mismanagement of water resources by humans and wariing conflicts erupting due to water shortage in dry regions of this earth.

 

[Jana]

Malaga’s Fuente de Piedra lagoon has been abandoned by flamingos
The most important colony in Spain has failed this year. This happened due to less rain than in other years.

Malaga’s Fuente de Piedra lagoon has been abandoned by the thousands of flamingos that normally breed there, due to the drought conditions

The extensive 1,400-hectares of wetlands that make up Malaga’s Fuente de Piedra lagoon is normally the seasonal breeding ground of around 8,000 pairs of flamingos, and although the lagoon accumulated sufficient water during the Winter period, the intense heat, coupled with the lack of rain in Spring, has led to the lake completely drying up.

This has resulted in the approximate number of 6,000 pairs that had already made their laying in Fuente de Piedra, abandoning the area in search of other wetlands in which to reproduce, with sources from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) telling Efe that this action of abandonment is very rare, and that only three precedents exist previously.

Marta Luque, from the wetland visitor guide, points out that “nothing like this has occurred in the twenty years that I have been here; Yes, there were years with little water, and they did not breed, but this time it has been a massive abandonment of the spawns”.
A census conducted by the Junta de Andalucia in 2020 in Fuente de Piedra, counted 19,413 specimens of this wading bird, whose pairs hatch just one single egg.

The spring of 2020 allowed the breeding of 8,000 pairs on the island of the lagoon, where they seek protection surrounded by a sheet of water that is normally about 30 centimetres deep, but, this year, according to the IUCN source, the rainfall dropped from an average of 460 litres per square metre, to 287, still enough for about 6,000 couples to settle.

According to data from the State Meteorological Agency, Spring 2021 was the driest in the last fifteen years, sunnier than normal, and somewhat warmer in central Andalucia, and in Fuente de Piedra it rained only 1.1 litres per square metre in May, causing the lagoon to dry up, by which time, most of the flamingos had laid, and their abandoned eggs have since been eaten by the numerous predators.


It is reported that the flamingos have relocated to the still humid areas of Marismas del Odie, in Huelva province, which is still flooded, so this year a third breeding nucleus has appeared, according to one of the guides of this wetland, as reported by laopiniondemalaga.es.

Link

First evidence of Chilean flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis breeding in Galapagos.
Few (2?) Chileans have been spotted in Galapagos islands (where small isolated group ca 200 Caribbeans reside and breed) and now breeding has been observed.
These are maybe vagrants from visibly increasing population of Chileans in norther Peruan province of Sechura where breeding has been proved last year.
Link

Complete success in the Zwillbrocker Venn: 15 young flamingos were ringed (out of 18 hatched this year)
This feral Western European colony had a good year.

Vreden. 15 young flamingos were ringed

Around 70 voluntary helpers from the German and Dutch sides helped to capture the young flamingos in the Fens. The aim was to identify the offspring with an approximately 5 centimeter large red plastic ring with an individual code.

Before the young flamingo chicks can fly independently, they are equipped with a small ring. Among other things, this provides information on the origin and age of the animals. Various teams are formed to capture the animals carefully and in a species-appropriate manner. Some run towards the island from behind, while the larger group of people closes the circle in a chain and the animals can be carefully caught. Some of the helpers are standing waist-deep in the water. 15 young animals have received the ring marking, and three newly hatched flamingos will do so in the coming weeks.

Dr. Dietmar Ikemeyer, managing director of the biological station, organized the ringing campaign with his team. All participants had to observe the current 3G regulation. The managing director proudly reports on two records that have been set: Never before have so many flamingo chicks survived in a year, because these animals also have natural predators. Furthermore, never before have so many volunteers found each other to support this. He was also pleased that the mayor Tom Tenostendarp took over the patronage.

The mayor of Vreden, Tom Tenostendarp, was there for the first time. “I was very pleased about this invitation. That was a special experience. I am also delighted that 2021 will be a young generation."

Link

Three pairs of flamingos begin the nesting and breeding period in Gallocanta for the first time

The birds were sighted last July nesting in the lagoon, marking a breeding precedent in Aragon.

The "Amigos de Gallocanta" association has announced on its social networks that, for the first time in the history of Aragon, three pairs of flamingos had settled in the Gallocanta lagoon in order to nest. The discovery was made by Jeremy Brock as well as Antonio Torrijo, both in charge of monitoring and observing the breeding appointment.

The news has come by surprise because Gallocanta had never witnessed such an ornithologist event. The association has ensured that there are 50 flamingos installed in the natural setting, something unthinkable a few years ago. In the words of Antonio Torrijo, "there have been flamingos since last spring, coinciding with the two years that there has been water in summer, something unusual in Gallocanta". The observer has also recalled that the Filomena Storm, which hit the country during January 2021, affected the habitat of some of these birds, moving to other places with better climatic conditions, although they returned 20 days later once the temperatures had cooled. stabilized.

For a couple of flamingos to breed, a host of factors is necessary that promote the proper development of the process, highlighting the abundance of food in the area and the tranquility of the environment. Flamenco is a common bird in other areas of Spain such as the Fuente de Piedra Natural Park (Málaga), the San Pedro de Pinatar Regional Park (Murcia) or La Pletera in L'Estartit (Gerona), the latter growing due to its Mediterranean coastal climate and the existence of salt flats that provide food for flamingos. Flamenco with ring placed in the Marismas del Odiel, Huelva. Flamingo from the lagoon with ring placed in the Marismas del Odiel, Huelva.Amigos de Gallocanta

Regarding the origin of the birds that have arrived in Aragon, Torrijo has confirmed that there are two flamingos with identification rings: The first of them comes from the Camargue, a region in southern France where the mouth of the Rhone River is located, while the another comes from the Marismas del Odiel, in Huelva. The association has indicated that this specimen was ringed as a chicken on July 17, 2010, finding the track again in Aragonese lands.

The circumstances necessary for the arrival and breeding of these animals must be very specific for their success, which is why the news has been very well received by lovers of the Gallocanta Lagoon. However, there was a sector more distant with the news fearing that the progressive inclusion of flamingos would harm the welfare of the Gallocanta cranes. In this sense, Antonio Torrijo, after observing this species, has stressed that there is no problem in coexistence, since "there were already flamingos and cranes in winter". On the other hand, he has pointed out that they do not share a food area either, since the cranes move to the cultivated fields while the flamingos eat inside the lagoon.

The association has indicated that the three pairs of this type of bird all reside together on one of the islands, although it is difficult to see them without binoculars or with some type of photographic optics. The news spread quickly through the various internet pages of the national associations of this bird, trusting in the success of the nesting, although it is recalled that the signs must be respected so as not to enter areas that could disturb the breeding appointment of the birds. flamingos.

Link

 

[FBBird]

Malaga’s Fuente de Piedra lagoon has been abandoned by flamingos
The most important colony in Spain has failed this year. This happened due to less rain than in other years.

Link

First evidence of Chilean flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis breeding in Galapagos.
Few (2?) Chileans have been spotted in Galapagos islands (where small isolated group ca 200 Caribbeans reside and breed) and now breeding has been observed.
These are maybe vagrants from visibly increasing population of Chileans in norther Peruan province of Sechura where breeding has been proved last year.
Link

Complete success in the Zwillbrocker Venn: 15 young flamingos were ringed (out of 18 hatched this year)
This feral Western European colony had a good year.

Link

Three pairs of flamingos begin the nesting and breeding period in Gallocanta for the first time

Link

I’d like to know the current species composition of the Zwillbrocker Venn colony?

 

[Jana]

I’d like to know the current species composition of the Zwillbrocker Venn colony?

These flamingos overwinter on Dutch sea coast and according to estimate made 2019 based on winter counts, this population had 30-35 Chileans, ca 25 Greaters and ca 15 hybrids (including xCaribbean hybrids).
Source - page 5 of this pdf

Season 2019 saw no chicks because their lake in Venn dried up.
Link

Season 2020 saw 4 chicks taht dissapeared before fledging.
Link

EDIT: I have found the most recent estimate:

In the spring of 2021, the flamingo population in Western Europe will have approximately 30 Chilean and approximately 40 Greater Flamingos. There are also about 20 mixed birds, several of which are in the second and third generation. Several descendants still live from the one Caribbean Flamingo that was part of the population from 1994 to 2016. There are mixed flamingos between Greater and Chilean Flamingos and between Greater and Caribbean; and there are flamingos that involved all three appearances. The number of Greater Flamingos has increased considerably in recent years as a result of multiple influxes from the Mediterranean area. Whether all those influx flamingos will permanently join the Western European population is still uncertain. From this population, in turn, flamingos regularly appear in Spain, France and Italy.

 

[Jurek7]

I find it incredible that the feral flamingo group in Germany / the Netherlands cannot be removed despite current laws against invasive species, while it is proven that they hybridize and migrate to the wild population of Greater Flamingos.

If there is some real tourist value of these flamingos, at least non-native species and hybrids could be replaced by an equal number of released Greater Flamingos.

 

[Jana]

I find it incredible that the feral flamingo group in Germany / the Netherlands cannot be removed despite current laws against invasive species, while it is proven that they hybridize and migrate to the wild population of Greater Flamingos.

If there is some real tourist value of these flamingos, at least non-native species and hybrids could be replaced by an equal number of released Greater Flamingos.

Both Germany and Netherlands has a ton of invasive species of birds and there is no inclination to manage it. Why would they start with popular flamingos? Public would not support it.

 

[vogelcommando]

Flamingo breeding colony in Morocco :

Scientists in Morocco use fake nests to entice flamingos to breed

 

[Jana]

Greater flamingos bred for the second time in Ukraine, 192 chicks reared in colony within Tuzla Estuary national park in summer 2023

A new breeding colony formed this year in coastal lagoons just north of Danube delta after group of 570 birds appeared.

Spoiler: Translation of FB post of the national park

DURING A BRUTAL WAR, A MIRACLE HAPPENED AND A "FLAME" WAS BORN IN THE NATIONAL NATURE PARK

During the war, a miracle began to take place in the summer in the Tuzlivski Lymani National Natural Park. For the first time in Ukraine, flamingos (from the Latin "flamma" - flame) in the number of 570 adult birds decided to live from spring to autumn in the Tuzliv estuaries and bring their young.

Earlier, in 2017, for the first time in Ukraine, they tried to form a colony in the Kherson region on Churyuk Lake, not far from Crimea, but they brought out only 3 chicks and their fate is unknown. During the full-scale invasion of the Rashists and the occupation of the Kherson region, the birds left the temporarily occupied territories and chose the Tuzliv estuaries.

For the first time, "scout" birds appeared in a large flock in 2021. In the year when a large number of chicks and adult birds died in the main flamingo colonies in Turkey on Lake TUZ. And we predicted at that time that they would definitely nest with us soon. And here is the war year 2023.

They appeared in our national park in April, and in May they immediately chose a place for nesting on the coast of the Burnas estuary near the village of Bazarianka. But nesting there was unsuccessful: children constantly appeared, poachers at night, many domestic dogs - all this, despite the 270 nests built by birds, forced them to leave this dangerous place. But we believed that they would definitely find another place in the national park and hatch chicks this year. And so it happened.

At the end of June 2023, they nested in a very interesting place of the national park - on the border of the large Tuzli estuaries of Shagana and Alibey. And so, over the weekend, we, the employees of the national park and its friends, managed to hold an event for ringing the chicks. The Ukrainian Bird Protection Society and the Ukrainian Bird Ringing Center helped us in this.

This is a great success - "Tuzliv" flamingos produced 192 chicks during the war. By the way, among the adults there are birds with colored rings from France, Turkey and Spain. We hope that after the Victory, many Ukrainians will be able to visit the national park and see the wonder of nature - pink flamingos.

Ivan RUSEV

Link

Greater flamingos unsuccessfuly tried to nest in Atanasovsko Lake, Bulgaria, in 2023

Flamingos started to appear in Black sea lagoons near City Burgas in Bulgaria 10 years ago, this year their number reached 3100 birds and they tried to breed for the first time, but no chicks hatched

Spoiler: FB post of Poda Nature centre on flamingo colony

The tireless wanderers of Burgas

For the tenth year in a row, the Greater Flamingos continue to be permanently present in the wetlands around Burgas. Their ‘head quarter’ is Atanasovsko Lake, where they occur all year round, changing only their numbers – from about 200 up to over 3100 individuals. From this lake they constantly wander, visiting the surrounding wetlands – Pomorie Lake, Poda Reserve, Burgas Lake. Giving their throat calls, they often fly over Burgas itself or over some of its adjacent districts, often their large flocks sross the sky over Burgas Bay, heading Turkiye. In fact, beside Turkiye, the ‘Burgas’ flamingos also came from Spain, France and Italy, judging by the colour rings of the observed birds. It is quite possible, however, that some of them came from Greece, too.

In 2023, the Greater Flamingos attempted to breed for the first time after they become permanently present around Burgas. At Atanasovsko Lake on July 14th, 2023, 238 flamingos and 88 nests were observed in a separate nesting colony, and in 20 nests there were sitting birds. Unfortunately, in July it is already too late for them to hatch the eggs and raise their young. In August there were only empty nests in the ‘colony’. It is quite possible, however, that in 2024 they will start on time and have successful breeding season. This would be the first breeding of the Greater Flamingo in Bulgaria.

For additional information:
BSPB Nature Conservation Centre PODA
Mobile: + 359 878 252 722
E-mail: poda@bspb.org

Link

 

[Zorro]

Greater flamingos bred for the second time in Ukraine, 192 chicks reared in colony within Tuzla Estuary national park in summer 2023

A new breeding colony formed this year in coastal lagoons just north of Danube delta after group of 570 birds appeared.

Spoiler: Translation of FB post of the national park

DURING A BRUTAL WAR, A MIRACLE HAPPENED AND A "FLAME" WAS BORN IN THE NATIONAL NATURE PARK

During the war, a miracle began to take place in the summer in the Tuzlivski Lymani National Natural Park. For the first time in Ukraine, flamingos (from the Latin "flamma" - flame) in the number of 570 adult birds decided to live from spring to autumn in the Tuzliv estuaries and bring their young.

Earlier, in 2017, for the first time in Ukraine, they tried to form a colony in the Kherson region on Churyuk Lake, not far from Crimea, but they brought out only 3 chicks and their fate is unknown. During the full-scale invasion of the Rashists and the occupation of the Kherson region, the birds left the temporarily occupied territories and chose the Tuzliv estuaries.

For the first time, "scout" birds appeared in a large flock in 2021. In the year when a large number of chicks and adult birds died in the main flamingo colonies in Turkey on Lake TUZ. And we predicted at that time that they would definitely nest with us soon. And here is the war year 2023.

They appeared in our national park in April, and in May they immediately chose a place for nesting on the coast of the Burnas estuary near the village of Bazarianka. But nesting there was unsuccessful: children constantly appeared, poachers at night, many domestic dogs - all this, despite the 270 nests built by birds, forced them to leave this dangerous place. But we believed that they would definitely find another place in the national park and hatch chicks this year. And so it happened.

At the end of June 2023, they nested in a very interesting place of the national park - on the border of the large Tuzli estuaries of Shagana and Alibey. And so, over the weekend, we, the employees of the national park and its friends, managed to hold an event for ringing the chicks. The Ukrainian Bird Protection Society and the Ukrainian Bird Ringing Center helped us in this.

This is a great success - "Tuzliv" flamingos produced 192 chicks during the war. By the way, among the adults there are birds with colored rings from France, Turkey and Spain. We hope that after the Victory, many Ukrainians will be able to visit the national park and see the wonder of nature - pink flamingos.

Ivan RUSEV

Link

Greater flamingos unsuccessfuly tried to nest in Atanasovsko Lake, Bulgaria, in 2023

Flamingos started to appear in Black sea lagoons near City Burgas in Bulgaria 10 years ago, this year their number reached 3100 birds and they tried to breed for the first time, but no chicks hatched

Spoiler: FB post of Poda Nature centre on flamingo colony

The tireless wanderers of Burgas

For the tenth year in a row, the Greater Flamingos continue to be permanently present in the wetlands around Burgas. Their ‘head quarter’ is Atanasovsko Lake, where they occur all year round, changing only their numbers – from about 200 up to over 3100 individuals. From this lake they constantly wander, visiting the surrounding wetlands – Pomorie Lake, Poda Reserve, Burgas Lake. Giving their throat calls, they often fly over Burgas itself or over some of its adjacent districts, often their large flocks sross the sky over Burgas Bay, heading Turkiye. In fact, beside Turkiye, the ‘Burgas’ flamingos also came from Spain, France and Italy, judging by the colour rings of the observed birds. It is quite possible, however, that some of them came from Greece, too.

In 2023, the Greater Flamingos attempted to breed for the first time after they become permanently present around Burgas. At Atanasovsko Lake on July 14th, 2023, 238 flamingos and 88 nests were observed in a separate nesting colony, and in 20 nests there were sitting birds. Unfortunately, in July it is already too late for them to hatch the eggs and raise their young. In August there were only empty nests in the ‘colony’. It is quite possible, however, that in 2024 they will start on time and have successful breeding season. This would be the first breeding of the Greater Flamingo in Bulgaria.

For additional information:
BSPB Nature Conservation Centre PODA
Mobile: + 359 878 252 722
E-mail: poda@bspb.org

Link

Are they extending their range are they in protected areas?

 

[Jana]

Are they extending their range are they in protected areas?

Situation in Black and Caspian sea is complicated, Greater flamingos used to live and breed on coast of both seas, there are literal sources (mostly in Russian) mentioning them at several places from first half of 20th century. Winter temperatues in northern half of both seas is/was too low for them to live there year-long thus this sub-population used to show real south/north seasonal migration (rather unusual behaviour for flamingos that are mostly just nomadic).

I say "used to", because they dissappeared completely from Black sea decades ago - and were considered a great rarity there in second half of 20th century, with just a few sightings of vagrants. In larger Caspian area, the last remaining breeding colony is today located at lake Balkhash in inland of Kasachstan and uses Caspian sea coast only during their spring/autumn migration towards Persian Gulf. It has just few thousand pairs. There might be some sporadic breeding events in northeast of Caspian sea (speculation on my side, I have found no sources), but considering that water level in this sea is quickly decreasing and sea coast there is very flat, this wont create permanent settlement probably.

On the other hand, Greater flamingo population around Mediterranian sea has grown massively in last 50 years. It is a huge success story and result of dedicated activities of many organisations in many countries, both in European, North African and Turkish part. New breeding colonies are popping up left and right - anywhere the birds can find a good habitat and protection.

And within last few years, this Meditterain sub-population started to spill over into Black sea. Ring reading of flamingos shows those birds come from all over - Spain, France, Italy, Turkey. They fly along western coast of Black sea, that has many super-saline shallow coastal lagoons, just the ideal conditions for flamingos. Yes, disturbance by locals and tourists is strong there, but a chain of protected nature reserves serves like stepping stones for them. Flamingos are excellent fliers, they dont mind to travel hundreds of miles between suitable places.

Protected areas are important to them. Tuzla Estuary is a national park with restricted access (and since war began, entry ban is absolute with exception of rangers and military).

 

[PossumRoach]

I don’t know if you allow other people to share news but I found this news from Turkey this year regarding wild flamingoes.

The first one is a clip of flamingoes from the Gediz Delta with its description posted on 12th of June this year.

Spoiler: Rough translation of the description of the video.

There has been a baby boom on the artificial nests found on the Gediz Delta (otherwise known as Izmir Bird Paradise/Sanctuary). Between 16 to 18 thousand chicks hatched on the artificial nests this year.

18 bin flamingo yumurtadan çıktı

The second one is around 40 flamingoes being found on the Çorum province (Southern Black Sea) for the first time in the province.

Çorum'da ilk kez flamingo görüldü

 

[Zorro]

Situation in Black and Caspian sea is complicated, Greater flamingos used to live and breed on coast of both seas, there are literal sources (mostly in Russian) mentioning them at several places from first half of 20th century. Winter temperatues in northern half of both seas is/was too low for them to live there year-long thus this sub-population used to show real south/north seasonal migration (rather unusual behaviour for flamingos that are mostly just nomadic).

I say "used to", because they dissappeared completely from Black sea decades ago - and were considered a great rarity there in second half of 20th century, with just a few sightings of vagrants. In larger Caspian area, the last remaining breeding colony is today located at lake Balkhash in inland of Kasachstan and uses Caspian sea coast only during their spring/autumn migration towards Persian Gulf. It has just few thousand pairs. There might be some sporadic breeding events in northeast of Caspian sea (speculation on my side, I have found no sources), but considering that water level in this sea is quickly decreasing and sea coast there is very flat, this wont create permanent settlement probably.

On the other hand, Greater flamingo population around Mediterranian sea has grown massively in last 50 years. It is a huge success story and result of dedicated activities of many organisations in many countries, both in European, North African and Turkish part. New breeding colonies are popping up left and right - anywhere the birds can find a good habitat and protection.

And within last few years, this Meditterain sub-population started to spill over into Black sea. Ring reading of flamingos shows those birds come from all over - Spain, France, Italy, Turkey. They fly along western coast of Black sea, that has many super-saline shallow coastal lagoons, just the ideal conditions for flamingos. Yes, disturbance by locals and tourists is strong there, but a chain of protected nature reserves serves like stepping stones for them. Flamingos are excellent fliers, they dont mind to travel hundreds of miles between suitable places.

Protected areas are important to them. Tuzla Estuary is a national park with restricted access (and since war began, entry ban is absolute with exception of rangers and military).

Thank you for your detailed reply, Interesting how things are panning out for them, I hope they continue to do well.

 

[Zorro]

I don’t know if you allow other people to share news but I found this news from Turkey this year regarding wild flamingoes.

The first one is a clip with its description posted on 12th of June this year.

Spoiler: Rough translation of the description of the video.

There has been a baby boom on the artificial nests found on the Gediz Delta (otherwise known as Izmir Bird Paradise/Sanctuary). Between 16 to 18 thousand chicks hatched on the artificial nests this year.

18 bin flamingo yumurtadan çıktı

The second one is around 40 flamingoes being found on the Çorum province (Southern Black Sea) for the first time in the province.

Çorum'da ilk kez flamingo görüldü

Thank you for the news.

 

[Jana]

I don’t know if you allow other people to share news but I found this news from Turkey this year regarding wild flamingoes.

The first one is a clip of flamingoes from the Gediz Delta with its description posted on 12th of June this year.

Spoiler: Rough translation of the description of the video.

There has been a baby boom on the artificial nests found on the Gediz Delta (otherwise known as Izmir Bird Paradise/Sanctuary). Between 16 to 18 thousand chicks hatched on the artificial nests this year.

18 bin flamingo yumurtadan çıktı

The second one is around 40 flamingoes being found on the Çorum province (Southern Black Sea) for the first time in the province.

Çorum'da ilk kez flamingo görüldü

Both are pretty good news, thanks for sharing them!

Do you happen to know if flamingos at Tuz Golu bred this year?

 

[PossumRoach]

Both are pretty good news, thanks for sharing them!

Do you happen to know if flamingos at Tuz Golu bred this year?

According to this article which features the migration of the flamingoes, there has been 10 thousand chicks.

Tuz Gölü'nün misafirlerinin göçü başladı - Norm Haber

According to another article the Directorate of Protection of Nature and National Parks have taken precautions to protect the flamingoes by bringing in freshwater (which is important as Turkey is having/ has had one of the worst droughts this year) and increasing security to prevent poaching and observing the birds in case anything happens to them.

Tuz Gölü’nün yavru flamingoları kuluçkadan çıktı

Tuz Gölü’nün yavru flamingoları kuluçkadan çıktı