Hundreds arrive for winter
The first flocks of flamingos have reached Cyprus, with several hundred already spotted at Larnaca salt lake. The island’s wetlands host one of the largest wintering populations in the eastern Mediterranean.
Senior Game and Fauna Service officer Nikos Kassinis told CNA that the birds mainly use five natural wetlands: Akrotiri (Limassol), Larnaca and Oroklini lakes, Paralimni lake and some sites in occupied Famagusta.
“Larnaca and Akrotiri salt lakes normally hold the biggest numbers – on average 5,000 to 10,000 birds, more than 1% of the eastern Mediterranean population,” he said.
Decline of 14–31% since 2013
Monthly waterbird counts by the Game Service and Bird Life Cyprus over the past two decades show a clear downward trend. Flamingo numbers in Cyprus have fallen by 14–31% since 2013.
Findings were presented at the 4th International Flamingo Symposium in Italy (10–15 November 2025).
Possible causes include frequent droughts, poor-quality water inflows that reduce food availability, development pressure and incompatible activities around wetlands.
Pandoteira project to help
Under the ten-year EU LIFE co-funded Pandoteira project, researchers will fill knowledge gaps on flamingo feeding, resting and breeding needs and quantify threats. Targeted conservation actions will follow to improve conditions in Natura 2000 sites.
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