BG002
Western Balkan


IBA Justification

The site was identified as important in 2005 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):
Species Red List Category Season Year(s) Population estimate at site IBA criteria met
Common Quail Coturnix coturnix LC breeding 2004 254-2,190 breeding pairs B2
Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca NT resident 2005 70-90 breeding pairs B2
Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus LC resident 2004 72-266 males C6
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus LC breeding 2004 290-335 breeding pairs C6
Corncrake Crex crex LC breeding 2004 280-290 breeding pairs A1, C1, C6
Little Owl Athene noctua LC resident 2004 37-130 breeding pairs B2
Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus LC resident 2004 20-30 breeding pairs C6
Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo LC resident 2004 8 breeding pairs C6
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus LC breeding 2004 12 breeding pairs C6
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca VU resident 2004 1-3 breeding pairs A1, C1, C6
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos LC resident 2004 7-8 breeding pairs B2, C6
Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes LC breeding 2005 4-6 breeding pairs C6
Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla LC breeding 2004 29-153 breeding pairs B2
Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius LC resident 2004 80-100 breeding pairs C6
Middle Spotted Woodpecker Leiopicus medius LC resident 2004 280-2,700 breeding pairs B3, C6
Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus LC resident 2005 400-700 breeding pairs B3, C6
White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos LC resident 2004 40 breeding pairs C6
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus LC resident 2004 37-60 breeding pairs B2
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug EN resident 2004 2 breeding pairs B2, C6
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus LC breeding 2005 10 breeding pairs C6
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio LC breeding 2004 6,000-8,000 breeding pairs B2, C6
Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor LC breeding 1996 140-190 breeding pairs B2, C6
Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus LC resident 2004 32 breeding pairs A3
Woodlark Lullula arborea LC resident 2004 3,650-11,000 breeding pairs B2, C6
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria LC resident 2005 2-5 breeding pairs A3
Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula LC resident 2004 7,945-25,200 breeding pairs B3
Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata LC breeding 2005 400-600 breeding pairs B2, C6
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva LC breeding 2000 60-80 breeding pairs C6
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris LC breeding 2004 12-25 breeding pairs A3
European Greenfinch Chloris chloris LC resident 2004 820-5,800 breeding pairs B3
Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana LC breeding 2004 1,100-1,400 breeding pairs B2, C6

The current IUCN Red List category (shown above) may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (2005).


IBA Protection

Protected area (PA) PA designation PA area (ha) Relationship of PA with IBA Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Zapadna Stara planina i Predbalkan Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 219,753 protected area overlaps with site 134,643
Zapaden Balkan Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) 146,832 is identical to site 146,820
Vrachanski Balkan Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive) 35,981 protected area overlaps with site 0
Vrachanski balkan Priroden Park 30,130 protected area is adjacent to site 0
Vodopad Durshin Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 0 protected area contained by site 0
Vodnia skok Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 0 protected area contained by site 0
Venetza Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 1 protected area contained by site 0
Usketo Zashtitena Mestnost 2 protected area contained by site 0
Uruchnik Zashtitena Mestnost 51 protected area contained by site 0
Tchuprene Reserve 1,440 protected area contained by site 1,440
Tchuprene Buffer Zone 542 protected area contained by site 542
Sto ovtsi Zashtitena Mestnost 290 protected area contained by site 0
Shabovitsa Zashtitena Mestnost 7 protected area contained by site 0
Samarite Zashtitena Mestnost 107 protected area contained by site 0
Réserve Tchoupréné UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 1,982 protected area contained by site 1,440
Peshteri Levi I Desni suhi pech Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 0 protected area contained by site 0
Mishin kamak Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 1 protected area contained by site 0
Midzhur Zashtitena Mestnost 159 protected area contained by site 0
Koritata Zashtitena Mestnost 1 protected area contained by site 0
Kopren Zashtitena Mestnost 536 protected area contained by site 0
Haydushki vodopadi Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 1 protected area contained by site 0
Gornata Koria Rezervat 161 protected area contained by site 0
Gardata Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 1 protected area contained by site 0
Chuprenski buki Zashtitena Mestnost 553 protected area contained by site 0
Chuprene Rezervat 1,452 protected area contained by site 0
Boroviat kamak Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 1 protected area contained by site 0
Bialata voda Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 1 protected area contained by site 0
Belogradchishki skali Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost 652 protected area contained by site 0

Habitats

Habitat (IUCN level 1) Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Broadleaved deciduous woodland, Native coniferous woodland -
Shrubland Scrub -
Grassland Dry siliceous grassland -
For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
not utilised -
agriculture -
tourism/recreation -


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Western Balkan. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/western-balkan-iba-bulgaria on 19/03/2024.