site.bta38% of Nesting Bird Species in Bulgaria Have Stable Populations - Study

Nearly 38% of nesting bird species in Bulgaria have stable populations, while 22% are growing, according to short-term population trends for the 2013-2024 period, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) reported based on data from a field study conducted between April and October 2024. A decline in populations was reported for 16.3% of species. The survey was conducted by experts from the BSPB and the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NMNH-BAS).

The most significant growing trends were observed in the cinereous vulture, booted eagle, white-tailed eagle, Eurasian griffon vulture, stock dove, and mute swan. An alarming short-term decline of over 50% was reported for the northern wheatear, wallcreeper, Eurasian magpie, and others.

The study by the BSPB and NMNH-BAS reported on the status of a total of 314 bird species in the country, for which 469 assessments were made. For the first time, assessments of the nesting populations of the red-crested pochard and short-eared owl were presented, as well as evidence of the nesting of new species in Bulgaria, such as the greater flamingo, and the return of the common crane as a nesting species. No breeding of osprey or collared flycatcher has been recorded in the country. During the reporting period, there were no records of the slender-billed curlew, which was declared globally extinct in 2024. The BSPB and NMNH-BAS study was conducted in partnership with the Executive Environment Agency and the Ministry of Environment and Water.

This weekend marks European Bird Days. The event has been held since 1993 on the first weekend of October at the initiative of the bird conservation organization BirdLife International. Its goal is to raise awareness among the international community of the need to protect migratory birds, their nesting areas, and their wintering grounds.