Albufera reports success with breeding programme

THE Albufera Nature Park in Alcudia now has 200 families of porphyrio porphyrio, Purple Gallinule birds, known as gall faver in Majorcan, after a sucessful progamme which began in 1991. The Purple Gallinule, which were lost to the islands in recent years, are shaped like a giant Moorhen with beautiful metallic blue plumage and a red beak and legs. This bird variety was hunted in the Albufera region a generation ago but then disappeared.
Once the Albufera Park was protected, the area once again became a suitable habitat for the species.
These birds were the result of a Ministry programme which has now finished.
The Ministry for the Environment wanted to reintroduce these birds into their own natural environment where they have “optimum” chances of adapting and surviving. The success of this bird programme for the purple gallinule is so great that the Ministry has even detected examples in other wetland areas located in Majorca and Minorca. ow the Ministry wants to repeat this exercise and the good results with other bird varieties which have been re-introduced into the nature park.
They include the fulica cristata or redknobbed coot.
So far this year three breeding groups of redknobbed coots have been spotted at the Albufera park.
This is all thanks to the hard work of the people responsible for managing the park and the success of the programme.
However, the birds experts at the Albufera Park, regretfully reported that numerous purple gallinulles get hit by cars each year and die.
The roads surrounding the Albufera park, a haven for migratory birds, are to blame, they said, especially the road which passes by the Es Murterar power station.