The Albanian Ornithological Society built a platform in April 2021, for the nesting of the Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) which is functioning with maximum efficiency. On the June of 2021, on World Environment Day, were confirmed that about 80 breeding pairs of Little Terns have built their nest on the platform and many new pairs are expected to do the same.

The wooden platform, filled with gravel and sand, is set on the edge of a small island in Karavasta Lagoon. This platform has increased the nesting surface and avoided the risk of flooding by the rising water level in the lagoon.

Adjacent to it, in 2020, the AOS team and local authorities RAPA Fier have cleaned an area of the island enabling a composite colony of Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) and Little Tern to build its nests there.

In total, this management action has created suitable conditions for the nesting of over 160 pairs of Terns, thus marking the first successful case of Tern nesting platforms in Albania.

The results of this intervention best reflect our long-term work in Divjaka-Karavasta. In recent years, the monitoring of breeding birds in the National Park has been showing a steady decline of Terns and especially the Little Tern. From where we applied management actions that started in 2020 and extend into 2021.

In the coming days, we will introduce you to other new cases of success in the management of breeding birds of the lagoon.

These results are not random. They are based on our experience, the professionalism of the team and its dedication in protecting and reinforcing nature and its values.

These management actions were supported by the CEPF program as part of the successful project “Make Divjaka Natural again!”