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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') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus	LC	resident	1996	15-17 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	resident	1996	2-3 breeding pairs	A1, C1, C6
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	resident	1996	1-3 breeding pairs	B2, C6
Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra	LC	resident	1996	100-150 breeding pairs	C6
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris	LC	breeding	1996	35-38 breeding pairs	C6

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2005) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2005. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	6	4	individuals	67	unfavourable
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus	19	7	breeding pairs	37	very unfavourable
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	2	0	individuals	0	very unfavourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	very poor (< 40%)	very poor (< 40%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	No management planning has taken place	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1982	Ognianovsko-Sinitevski rid	Zashtitena Mestnost	6
2005	Besaparski vazvishenia	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	46
2005	Reka Luda Yana	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	<1
2005	Reka Maritsa	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	8
2007	Besaparski ridove	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	100
2011	Nahodishte na atinska merendera selo Isperihovo	Zashtitena Mestnost	<1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Grassland		-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Besaparski Hills (Bulgaria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/besaparski-hills-iba-bulgaria on 23/11/2024.