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Here in the shadow of Albania's Thunderbolt Mountains, birdwatchers gather to admire this spectacular giant bird sanctuary.

It’s a pitstop on the birds’ annual migration between Europe and Africa.

And enthusiasts say it’s one of the best places in Europe to witness flocks of giant pink flamingos take flight.

Location: Vjose-Narte lagoon, Albania

But construction of the country’s biggest airport nearby - Vlora International - could scare them away for good.

The Vjose-Narte lagoon is home to 200 bird species.

In 2004, it was was declared a protected nesting and migration area, leaving conservationists to ask the question:

Why couldn’t the airport have been built somewhere else?

Ornithologists Mirjan Topi say noise pollution from the first trucks and excavators is already disturbing pelicans and flamingos.

But aside from the ecosystem disruption - he says there’s another major reason building an airport so close to the giant flocks of birds might not be such a great idea.

"You can see here that there are flocks of massive birds. During the period of migration, there are hundreds and thousands of birds coming here, different species, with different sizes. Can you imagine if a flock of these birds collides with an airplane? It will immediately cause a crash."

So why was a new airport proposed in the first place?

The government says a new airport on the lagoon will boost tourism in Albania and complies with environmental rules.

In 2019 tourism generated one in every 10 jobs and 18% of Albania’s economic output. That's according to the IMF.

But local restaurant owner Arsen Lambro thinks the new airport will have the opposite outcome to the desired one.

"Building the airport in this area will bring fewer visitors. When tourists will arrive here what they will find? This airport will ruin the ecosystem. Fauna, flora, and everything will be destroyed. What will the tourists find here? It is not only the food but the whole area that will bring more tourists. If the airport is built, this will be gone."

The airport's builders say planes won't be in the flight path of the birds.

Valon Lluka runs the project for Mabetex, the Swiss-based firm leading the construction.

He told Reuters in an email that the airport's runway is around 2.2 miles from the bird shelter and 3 miles away from the main bird migration routes.