Venice’s growing flamingo population finds refuge in recovering wetlands

[AP Photo]

Perhaps nothing better illustrates the flamingo’s status as a newcomer to the Venetian Lagoon than the fact that the local dialect has no word for them.

Yet the pale pink birds — known as “fenicotteri” in Italian — are arriving in record numbers as ecological restoration efforts improve wetland habitats and raise hopes that flamingos may eventually establish a nesting colony in the lagoon.

Flamingos, best known for nesting in Spain and France, began appearing in the Venetian Lagoon in the early 2000s. Initially, they were mostly confined to fishing valleys and mudflats in the lagoon’s outer reaches, with only occasional sightings near Venice’s historic center.

Environmentalists view their growing presence as a sign of the lagoon’s improving ecological health and suitability as a feeding ground.

Last winter, the number of flamingos in the lagoon reached a record high of nearly 24,000 — about 8,000 more than the previous year. Ornithologist Alessandro Sartori said the figures place the Venetian Lagoon among the most important wintering sites across the species’ range.

Sartori regularly surveys the lagoon by boat for evidence of nesting, which would indicate a self-sustaining local colony. So far, no new nesting activity has been detected following unsuccessful attempts in 2008 and 2013, when severe weather, including hailstorms, killed dozens of birds.

More than 90% of the flamingos counted last year were concentrated in the northern lagoon, where extensive salt marshes and traditional fishing valleys provide abundant food.

New restoration projects may help redistribute the birds. Efforts to rebuild salt marshes in the southern lagoon are creating new habitats in areas that have suffered decades of erosion. The restored wetlands could attract more flamingos while reducing pressure on northern sites.

The Venetian Lagoon covers roughly 550 square kilometers. Historically, nearly half of its surface consisted of salt marshes. Today, those wetlands account for only about 7% of the lagoon, according to Jane da Mosto, executive director of We Are Here Venice, a partner in the European Union’s €23.6 million WaterLANDS restoration project.

Much of the damage occurred after shipping channels were dredged in the 1960s to serve the Marghera industrial port, accelerating erosion and sediment loss.

Da Mosto said wetland reconstruction aims to reverse that trend. Restored marshes can help absorb carbon dioxide, strengthen resilience to rising sea levels, and improve biodiversity. Researchers are also introducing plant species that reduce erosion and stabilize the ecosystem.

Signs of flamingo activity are already evident in restored areas. Pink feathers have been found on newly reconstructed mudflats, and Sartori says flamingo numbers in the southern lagoon have increased from only a handful a few years ago to as many as 300 or 400 during certain periods.

“The hope is that they can find, as they have found in other parts of the Mediterranean, places where they can nest,” Sartori said.

Their growing presence also offers visitors a new way to experience Venice — not only as a city of art and history, but as a thriving ecological landscape. Spotting flamingos still requires patience and often a boat trip into remote parts of the lagoon, but as their numbers continue to rise, sightings may become increasingly common.

Sartori stresses that wildlife observation should be conducted responsibly, maintaining a safe distance and avoiding disturbance to the birds. COLLEEN BARRY, VENICE, MDT/AP