A Dalmatian pelican, a bird species never before seen in Sweden, has been spotted at a lake near the Forsmark nuclear power plant. This unusual visitor has attracted significant attention from birdwatchers across the country.
Rare Bird Sighting: Dalmatian Pelican Visits Sweden
Rare Bird Sighting: Dalmatian Pelican Visits Sweden
A Dalmatian pelican, a bird species never before seen in Sweden, has settled at a test lake near the Forsmark nuclear power plant in Uppland, reports UNT. The bird, believed to be genuinely wild, has visited several locations in Sweden over the summer.
"It doesn't seem to be an escapee. For instance, it has no ring," says Anders Wirdheim, information officer at Birdlife Sweden, the Swedish Ornithological Society.
The nearest breeding areas for the Dalmatian pelican are in Romania and Greece in Southeastern Europe.
"It's strange because it first appeared at Storsjön in Jämtland, of all places. That was in early June. Then it spent some time at Frösön outside Östersund before appearing in Åland. It was then seen in the Gävle area, and later at Röst near the Lofoten Islands in Norway. Now it has been staying at Forsmark for a while," says Wirdheim.
Attracting Birdwatchers
The pelican has caused quite a stir, especially among birdwatchers.
"When it appeared in Gävle, 500 people came to see it," says Wirdheim.
The pelican is not the only unusual bird visitor in Sweden this year. A ring-billed gull, a rare visitor from North America, has spent almost the entire summer in Kungsträdgården in Stockholm.
"It was discovered by chance by a birdwatcher who happened to pass by an elderly lady feeding gulls on a park bench," says Wirdheim.