Porto Lagos-Lake Vistonida and Coastal Lagoon Ecology

Ramsar site (9,800 ha, not clearly defined borders yet), Special Protection Area (10,000 ha) and Specially Protected Mediterranean Area. Hunting is partly prohibited (6,000 ha) and the herons colony of Porto Lagos is protected. Building and commercial fishery are controlled by special measures.

A complex of coastal brackish and freshwater lakes.  The biggest is the brackish Lake Vistonis, or Vistonida, surrounded by reed beds (Phragmites sp.), with zones of tamarisks (Tamarix sp.), salt flats, riverine forests, small freshwater lakes and wet meadows.  The following lagoons are included: Lagos, Lafri, Lafrouda, Ksirolimni or Fanariou, Arogi or Karatza, Mesi or Alyki, Ptelea, Elos and Limni.  Vistonis is threatened by pollution (coming from industrial, agricultural and domestic sources), while the marshes, wet meadows and riverine forests are threatened by irrigation programs.  Lake Ismaris is connected with this area.

Breeding species include the Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus), the Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), the Squacco Heron (Ardeola raloides), the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), the Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), the Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), the Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola), the Spur-winged Plover (Hoplopterus spinosus), the Common Tern Sterna hirundo (400 pairs), the Little Tern Sterna albifrons (10 pairs), the Roller (Coracias garrulous), the Calandra Lark (Melanocrypha calandra) and the Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor). During migration, we can see the White Pelecan (Pelecanus onocrotalus), the Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) and the Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris - the second most important area in Greece). The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus rubber) can be seen all year round (maximum observation is 2,000 individuals). In winter, there are large concentrations of water birds, such as the Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis), the Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus), the Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus), the Great White Egret (Egretta alba), the White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons), the Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus), the Grey Goose (Anser anser), the Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), the Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), the Teal (Anas crecca), the Pintail (Anas acuta), the Shoveler Duck (Anas clypeata), the White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala), the Pochard (Aythya ferina), the Coot (Fulica atra) and the Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta).

Information thanks to “The Hellenic Ornithological Society"