The 2026 flamingo nesting season in Molentargius closed with a reproductive success rate of 57%, the highest figure in the last ten years , despite a decline in the number of nesting pairs.
Of the 6,562 pairs formed, 3,710 chicks fledged , each laying a single egg. The data comes from the Environment Department of the Molentargius-Saline Regional Natural Park, based on monitoring conducted on behalf of the Park by Anthus ornithologists Sergio Nissardi and Carla Zucca.
The outcome depends on the chicks' survival in the first weeks of life, when they are most exposed to predation by herring gulls. The location of the colony and the shape of the banks also play a role: narrower banks expose the nests more. In 2025, there were 7,730 pairs, with 3,599 youngsters close to fledging, and a success rate of 47%. The lowest rate of the decade dates back to 2019, when, with 23,327 pairs and 1,666 youngsters, the success rate was 7% .
The first activity was observed starting March 19th on the new Bellarosa Maggiore embankment, built with the Life McSalt project. In mid-April, settlement began at the base of the pylons and, a few days later, on the Quartu embankment. Spawning continued until the first week of May, with hatching beginning around April 20th and completing around June 8th . The first young fledged in the second week of August.
Such spacing out hatches are linked to water levels: heavy rainfall has kept the pond's water level high, reducing the available banks. The Park's water movement has allowed the banks to gradually emerge and the colony to establish itself. "The banks of the Bellarosa Maggiore pond are exclusive nesting sites for the Molentargius flamingos," says Luisanna Massa, head of the Park's Environment Department. "Their maintenance is essential for the conservation of the lagoon habitat and the species it supports."
(Unioneonline)