Birds in Bulgaria

L 120-145 cm, WS 140-170 cm. European race roseus breeds in a few but big colonies on low islands and banks on extensive, open, shallow, muddy beaches or at salt lakes, sea-bays etc. Sensitive to disturbance.
IDENTIFICATION: Unmistakable. White with pinky tone, red wingcoverts and black flight-feathers. Note that the bill is mostly light red with only extreme tip black and that the legs are entirely pink (without blazing red ‘knees’), also that plumage is more white than pink (American race ruber, an occasional escape from European bird collections, has bright pink-red plumage). Often seen in large, tightly packed flocks (like whitish-pink strip on the horizon). In flight the red on the wings is conspicuous, and neck and legs are held fully extended (neck drooping a little). - Juvenile: Grey-brown and whitish, lacking red.
VOICE: Loud cackles, somewhat recalling Greylag and Bean Geese; trumpeting notes as well as deeper grunts.