Lake Kerkini | Northern Greece

Lake Kerkini, is an artificial reservoir in Central Macedonia, Greece that was created in 1932, and then redeveloped in 1980, on the site of what was previously an extremely extensive marshland.

Unfortunately, the Dalmatian Pelican is a threatened species, human persecution and drainage of its habitat have decimated the population. At Lake Kerkini, a glimmer of hope is visible for this rare and beautiful bird, and thankfully a number of pelicans now breed and winter on the lake.

An adult can weigh up to 15 kilos which makes it one of the largest of bird species. A colony of these great endangered birds stays on Lake Kerkini in winter to breed. As a migrating species, they formerly used to abandon the area during the winter until local fishermen built them a nesting platform and started feeding them. Consequently, they no longer have any reason to leave.