A pair of collared pratincole (Glareola pratincola), a rare species in Murcia and where it was extinct from the 1980s until 2002, has nested inside the San Pedro del Pinatar saltworks. In addition, this year another pair has also been detected in the Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar Regional Park, this time in the Encañizadas.
This wader is closely associated with wetlands, although it also finds good feeding and nesting areas in farmlands near them. The loss and deteroration of the wetlands around the Mar Menor, as well as the intensification of agricultural practices in the Campo de Cartagena, could have been the main threat factor that led to her extinction in Murcia.
Since her recolonization in 2002, members and volunteers of ANSE have created the Canastera Project, aimed at the study and conservation of this species. Currently, the main reproductive colonies of the collared pratincole are established in the agricultural fields located in the surroundings of the Mar Menor. For this reason, the Canastera Project tries to involve and sensitize the agricultural sector, making its activities compatible with the breeding and success of this species. Currently, the number of breeding population of this species in Murcia is around 30 to 40 pairs.
More information about Canastera Project:
https://www.asociacionanse.org/canasteras/