Cormorant, coot, and mallard duck are just some of the types of waterfowl living in Lake Karla, which has developed into a very important wetland that’s home to many types of birds.
Noteable recordings of local bird species include the Wigeon (Anas penelope), teal (Anas crecca) and some Pochards (Aythya ferina), as well as species of ducks such as the Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) and the Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus). Also of great importance is the presence of pelicans (Pelecanus crispus), flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus), and grey herons (Ardea cinerea).
According to the Hellenic Ornithological Society, over 200 different kinds of birds have been documented in Lake Karla (with 450 in the whole of Greece). The Society’s winter counts in mid-January revealed that Lake Karla was buzzing with over 22,700 birds in 2012, ranking fourth in the number of waterfowl, right after the country’s large key wetlands (Ambracian Gulf, Evros and Messolongi).
In 2015 the Society recorded 660 pelicans in Karla, making it the fourth largest colony in Greece for this emblematic bird species threatened with extinction. Note that Greece hosts 20% of the world population of the species, making it the most important country for the species on a global scale.