skadar lake is the home of more than 280 different species of birds. so its one of the richest bird hot spots in europe containing more than half of the european species. >> including dalmatian pelicans although sightings are rare. ornithologist andrej vizi from the natural history museum of montenegro knows exactly where we're most likely to catch a glimpse of them and sure enough, there they are. >> the pelicans are the largest fresh water birds in the world. this means exactly this species we have here on skadar lake, the dalmatian pelican. their wing span is regularly over two meters and in the bigger specimens can even be >> the good news is that their numbers are increasing. the shallow waters and peace and quiet make lake skadar an ideal habitat. but what has most contributed to the recent rise in the dalmatian pelican population is an international conservation project. floating breeding platforms have been mounted. it's not uncommon for pelican chicks to drown when the lake floods as it frequently does. unfortunately, our arrival has scared th