THE BEE-EATERS HALT THE HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY BETWEEN DESENZANO AND LONATO: 18 PAIRS NESTING AMONG THE CONSTRUCTION SITES The recent discovery of a colony of bee-eaters has led to an unexpected suspension of work on the Brescia-Verona High-Speed Railway, specifically at the construction sites located in Grezze, between Desenzano del Garda and Lonato. Thanks to the report from local ornithologist Guido Parmeggiani, the relevant authorities have intervened to protect these colorful migratory birds, which have chosen the freshly excavated earth walls for nesting. Currently, eighteen pairs of bee-eaters have been identified, having dug nesting tunnels up to five meters long.
In response to the situation, a “level II protection” has been activated, with the surrounding area closed to earth movements and fenced off to ensure the safety of the birds. Although work inside the tunnel continues uninterrupted, the external construction site will remain halted until the end of August, when the bee-eaters will complete their breeding cycle and resume their journey to Africa. This incident highlights the need to balance infrastructure development with environmental protection in an ecologically sensitive region such as the morainic hills.
