Electric Power Lines: A Cause of Mortality in Pelecanus crispus Bruch, a World Endangered Bird Species, in Porto-Lago, Greece

Abstract

From October 1985 to March 1987, 28 Dalmatian Pelicans (Pelecanus crispus) were killed by flying into a power line located between their roosting island and their feeding grounds at Porto-Lago in northern Greece, a major wintering ground for this species. Ninety three percent of the dead birds were immatures, sixty nine percent being first year birds. Using band recoveries of birds banded (color plastic engraved bands) in Greece and Bulgaria, as part of an intentional study of the population dynamics of Dalmatian Pelican, we estimated that additional mortality due to the power line would cause a decrease of between 1.3 to 3.5% in the number of breeding pairs of Greece and Bulgaria by the time sexual maturity is reached (3 years old). Since the removal of the power line in November 1986, no dead bird has been found.