Rings will track crossing of 400 flamingos between the Mediterranean and northern Africa

Hundred of volunteers placed ring transmitters on 400 newborn flamingos at Ebre Delta Natural Park on Sunday morning to track the birds' migratory movement, an initiative that didn't take place for the last two years due to the pandemic. 

According to the experts, the rings also facilitate the data collection on the routes taken by flamingos along the Mediterranean throughout their lives. 

Specialists are excited to continue with these endeavors, celebrating its thirteenth edition after a two-year pause because of the pandemic. The Secretary of Climate Action, Anna Barnadas, emphasized the importance of local and international collaborations behind the project. 

“The migratory movements of these birds born in the Ebre Delta Natural Park are centered between the southern Mediterranean and northern Africa, where specialists from different countries are working together on this project,” said Barnadas.

The ringing was conducted as quickly as possible to avoid stressing the animals. Each group of volunteers divided up the tasks, from measuring beaks and wings through ringing and finally release.

Neus Salvadó, was one of the volunteers in charge of freeing the ringed birds. "As a local from the Delta, being able to enter the natural park is an opportunity to see the area's biological wealth up close," he said.

The rings, a less invasive method

Two rings have been placed on each animal; one plastic and the other metal. The PVC one is visible from a long distance and it is not necessary to capture the flamingo to read the data.

Experts such as Francesc Vidal, the Director of the Ebre Delta Natural Park, claim that this is a less invasive method for the specimen and allows it to be located quickly with the help of binoculars.

Thirty years of flamingos in Ebre Delta Natural Park

Around 2,000 adult pairs of flamingos live today in the Ebre Delta Natural Park.“Flamingos are very sensitive to disturbances and breed in a synchronized manner with dense colonies, which is why they need shelter and tranquility,” explained Francesc Vidal.

The flamingo population in the Delta has been growing since 1992 when the first birds settled in the area. The protection of this species has led to its growing number.