DALMATIAN PELICANS AT LAKE KERKINI

January 1st, 2026 - Lake Kerkini, Greece

7:00 A.M

Before sunrise, the lake is still dark. The cold is sharp. It’s the first day of 2026. We pull on layers and head out to spend the morning with Dalmatian pelicans—massive birds that glide with surprising ease over the water.

We’re meeting the boat owner and our guide at 7:00 a.m. at the small port on the lake’s southernmost tip. Fortunately, our hotel is less than a five-minute walk away, so we can get there quickly and without fuss.

7:30 A.M.

We’re on the boat, joined by other nature enthusiasts—a couple from Italy and a photographer from India. The birds surround us almost immediately. They’re clearly familiar with these outings, which have come to mean breakfast. 

The sun still hasn’t risen, and the cold bites. With humidity hanging in the air, winter in Greece can feel heavier—more penetrating—than in drier climates.

The birds don’t rush. They seem to know the captain’s routine—staying close to the boat, the boldest edging nearer, even hopping aboard. Still, they don’t demand anything; they wait, as if they’ve learned that food comes only when the captain is ready to share it.

The sun is still not out, but the first light rays yield the horizon.

Lake Kerkini, Serres, Greece before the dawn.

A pelican claims a place on the boat.

8:30 A.M.

We spend time familiarizing ourselves with the surroundings, taking in the beauty of the sunrise as the minutes pass and the pelicans edge ever closer. Some claim a privileged seat on the side of the boat, still settled in a resting pose.

Then, only a 10-minute boat ride from the port, more and more pelicans join the group. After a brief introduction and guidance from our captain, the essential moment arrives. He uncovers a bucket of fresh fish—the breakfast for which the pelicans have been waiting.

8:50 A.M.

Small fish—an easy treat—start to fly through the air, and the action begins. The pelicans spring into motion.

To keep up with the moving boat, they stay low, skim over the water, and some cross short distances with brief flights.

The movement reaches the boat, too, as new pelicans make their way in and claim a seat—pushing the early settlers aside.

9:00 A.M.

The sun finally begins to peek over the horizon. The cold, however, remains with us.

It doesn’t seem to bother the pelicans. Like many waterbirds, they rely on a uropygial (preen) gland that secretes oil; when they preen, they spread it through their feathers to help maintain a water-repellent, insulating layer that reduces heat loss.

10:00 A.M.

We are surrounded. Feeding time is at its peak, and in half an hour we will return to the port. The birds gather in ever-greater numbers, surrounding us as if they know this is the last chance to snatch something for breakfast.

Almost an hour later, we are back at the hotel, finally grabbing something to eat ourselves. What a memorable morning to begin the new year. We feel happy.

Interesting facts

• The International Single Species Action Plan identifies Lake Lesser Prespa (Greece/Albania) as home to the largest Dalmatian pelican breeding colony worldwide, making this single site exceptionally important to the species’ long-term viability.

• They sometimes feed in mixed-species groups. Quantitative field research has documented Dalmatian pelicans foraging alongside cormorants, particularly in deeper water, where cormorants’ diving can help drive fish upward into the pelicans’ surface-feeding range. We have spotted pelicans among cormorants at Lake Kerkini as well, confirming this fact.

• Reproduction is naturally low-output and sensitive to disruption. Long-term breeding studies in Greece reported a mean clutch size below two eggs (about 1.6–1.9) and an incubation period of ~31 days, which helps explain why repeated disturbance or nesting failure can have outsized effects on local populations.