Over 2,700 flamingos inhabit the Atansovsko Lake near Burgas, the Pomorie Lake and "Poda" Protected Area, the 47th census of wintering waterfowl in Bulgaria showed. Thanks to their rings, we know that many of the guests came from Italy, Spain, Turkey and France, Petar Yankov of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds said.

"The number of flamingos near Burgas and Pomorie has significantly increased in recent years, probably because of the warmer winter months. We also observe species that should not be here at this time of the year," Yankov reported. The pink flamingo does not nest in Bulgaria and there is no evidence that the increased population affects the local ecosystem, a study conducted together with scientists from the USA shows.