With such vast swathes of untouched wilderness in Montenegro, and indeed other Balkan countries, there’s a lot of wildlife to discover out there, particularly of the bird variety. Whether you’re a seasoned warbler or a casual admirer of our feathered friends, we’ve listed 13 birds you can expect to see in Montenegro, where we run our birdwatching holiday, and other parts of the Balkans. Most of the birds below can be found around wetlands or mountainous areas such as Lake Skadar National Park, the base for our birding week. How many can you tick off the list? 1. Dalmatian Pelican The Dalmatian Pelican is the world’s largest flying freshwater bird with males boasting a wingspan of up to three metres and weighing around 9.5kg. These remarkable birds have called Lake Skadar home since at least the 20th century and when we first arrived there in 2008, they were critically endangered. Thanks to conservation efforts since then which we’ve supported, their numbers are on the rise. The work to save this species is far from done, but they’re heading in the right direction - there’s now a 300-strong colony at Lake Skadar (Lake Shkodra on the Albanian side). You can also find them on Lake Prespa, shared by Albania and Greece, which you can visit on our South Albania holiday. 2. Pygmy Cormorant Pygmy Cormorants are about the size of a mallard and their colour changes slightly with the seasons. In summer, adults are dark with a bronze-green hue and in winter, they have a white throat and their breast feathers turn lighter. Their short bill, stubby neck and small body distinguishes them from other cormorants. These little freshwater birds can be found in wetlands and deltas across southeast Europe and parts of Asia. When out birding, keep your eyes down
With such vast swathes of untouched wilderness in Montenegro, and indeed other Balkan countries, there’s a lot of wildlife to discover out there, particularly of the bird variety. Whether you’re a seasoned warbler or a casual admirer of our feathered friends, we’ve listed 13 birds you can expect to see in Montenegro, where we run
“Look up! Pelicans! Dead Ahead...” "Oh yeah? Wow!" Catching a glimpse of these extraordinary birds is a highlight for so many guests on our kayaking trips at Lake Skadar, but did you know that holidaying with us has helped fund urgent Dalmatian Pelican conservation work? Thanks to our Book to Give Back scheme, we have been able to make the biggest donation in our company’s history to help one of the world’s most threatened waterbirds continue to thrive in Montenegro at a time of crisis. We donated €3,000 to our charity partner CZIP, Montenegro’s equivalent of the RSPB, in April last year, and as a direct result, works completed in December to give vital new protection to the colony at Lake Skadar. A new nesting site they adopted last year is now safeguarded with buoys and signs to keep people at a safe distance and help these magnificent birds to breed undisturbed. The protection measures come just in time for winter breeding season — ornithologists counted 49 nests on the island in last week's winter count — and we’re all hoping to see lots of healthy chicks come March. On the brink The Dalmatian Pelican is the world’s largest pelican and heaviest flying freshwater bird, weighing in at 9.5kg respectively with a wingspan of up to 3 metres. They can be found in wetlands across southeast Europe, including a population of 71 breeding pairs at Lake Skadar, which is shared by Montenegro and Albania (Albanian name, Shkodra Lake). Sizeable colonies are also at Romania's Danube-Delta, Albania's Divjakë-Karavasta, and on Lake Prespa, shared by Albania and Greece. Sadly, the species is endangered. Irresponsible tourism and poaching near nesting sites are two of the greatest human threats, next to construction near their habitats and natural threats such as bird flu and extreme
“Look up! Pelicans! Dead Ahead…” “Oh yeah? Wow!” Catching a glimpse of these extraordinary birds is a highlight for so many guests on our kayaking trips at Lake Skadar, but did you know that holidaying with us has helped fund urgent Dalmatian Pelican conservation work? Thanks to our Book to Give Back scheme, we have
Planning a trip to the Balkans and wondering what kinds of wildlife you might encounter? With vast swathes of undisturbed forests and wetlands, the peninsula is teeming with animals which are rare, if not extinct, in the UK. Despite being popular for the beaches, Albania is actually two-thirds forests and mountains. Across the border in Montenegro, Europe's most mountainous country, lots of nature hotspots are under environmental protection. They include Lake Skadar National Park which is on its way to becoming a UNESCO biosphere and joining the Amazon of Europe. Serbia, Kosovo and Croatia equally boast their fair share of natural habitats. So, in short, the Balkans is the place to visit for wildlife sightings in Europe. Sadly though, there’s a way to go before proper protection is in place for many of the species listed below, meaning they’re at threat of dying out due to human activity (read: damming, deforestation and pollution). That’s why we’re on a mission as a travel company to support vital conservation efforts in the region by donating to our chosen local NGOs through our Book to Give Back scheme and touring responsibly. So, without further adieu, here are just some of the fantastic wild animals you could see (or hear) in the Balkans. 1. Dalmatian Pelican It’s the world’s largest member of the pelican family with a wingspan of three metres and weighing around 9.5 kg respectfully, the Dalmatian Pelican is also the world’s largest flying freshwater bird. A lot of work is being done to protect these remarkable creatures in Montenegro and Albania, particularly in Lake Skadar National Park (where we run Villa Miela), which has a sizeable population of roughly 300 pelicans. You’ll also find them in large numbers on Lake Prespa, shared by Albania and Greece, which you can visit on
Planning a trip to the Balkans and wondering what kinds of wildlife you might encounter? With vast swathes of undisturbed forests and wetlands, the peninsula is teeming with animals which are rare, if not extinct, in the UK. Despite being popular for the beaches, Albania is actually two-thirds forests and mountains. Across the border in
The natural world is a wondrous thing. We're so lucky that one of the world's largest flying birds, the Dalmatian Pelican, with its 3m wide wingspan, is a resident species at our base, Lake Skadar. These giants of the sky take centre stage whenever we catch a glimpse, whether it's on the school run or out on tour. In the Springtime, pelicans can often be spotted fishing and feeding by the lake's main settlement, Virpazar. We had an incredible chance meeting with a group of 22 just the other day as Ben and I edged our kayak through the rushes by Virpazar port. There they were, quietly bobbing on the water, surrounded by more than a hundred of their fishing buddies, the Pygmy Cormorant. Watching them reminded us what an amazing place we adopted as our home 13 years ago. Back then, though, spotting Dalmatian Pelican anywhere outside their remote breeding area just didn't happen. Numbers were seriously depleted, with the species classified as endangered on IUCN's red list. Fast forward to May 2021 and Lake Skadar's pelican population may be close to 300 or more (this year's census is still on-going!). It's a brilliant result for conservation work now in its fifth year, helping them breed more successfully using artificial rafts and with video monitoring to ward against human threats. We've been glad to be a part of this project over the years, helping out with donations and as volunteers and friends of the "team" (a diverse group of local and international partners united by one goal - ensuring Lake Skadar's pelicans can thrive). It's because of this close relationship and our commitment as responsible tourism practitioners that we've been able to pioneer a very special eco-tour indeed - kayaking to Lake Skadar's pelican breeding colony - in careful
The natural world is a wondrous thing. We’re so lucky that one of the world’s largest flying birds, the Dalmatian Pelican, with its 3m wide wingspan, is a resident species at our base, Lake Skadar. These giants of the sky take centre stage whenever we catch a glimpse, whether it’s on the school run or
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