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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca	NT	resident (1998)	160–240 pairs	B2
Hazel Grouse Tetrastes bonasia	LC	resident (1998)	180–300 pairs	C6
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus	LC	breeding (1998)	220–450 pairs	C6
Corncrake Crex crex	LC	breeding (1998)	25–70 pairs	A1, C1
Eurasian Pygmy-owl Glaucidium passerinum	LC	resident (1998)	10–20 pairs	C6
Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus	LC	resident (1998)	20–35 pairs	C6
Ural Owl Strix uralensis	LC	breeding (1998)	15–25 pairs	C6
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca	VU	resident (1996)	1–2 pairs	A1, C1, C6
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos	LC	resident (1998)	10–12 pairs	B2, C6
Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius	LC	resident (1998)	110–130 pairs	C6
White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos	LC	resident (1998)	130–150 pairs	C6
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus	LC	resident (1996)	40–50 pairs	B2
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	resident (1998)	3 pairs	B2, C6
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus	LC	breeding (1998)	6–7 pairs	C6
Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus	LC	non-breeding (1996)	500 birds	A3
Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus	LC	resident (1996)	6,000–7,000 pairs	B3
Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla	LC	breeding (1996)	25,000–40,000 pairs	B3
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria	LC	resident (1996)	10–15 pairs	A3
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus	LC	breeding (1996)	3,400–4,000 pairs	B3
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos	LC	breeding (1996)	14,000–16,000 pairs	B3
Fieldfare Turdus pilaris	LC	winter (1996)	2,000–3,000 birds	B3
Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus	LC	breeding (1998)	5,000–7,000 pairs	B3
Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula	LC	resident (1998)	25,000–33,000 pairs	B3
European Robin Erithacus rubecula	LC	resident (1996)	55,000–65,000 pairs	B3
Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata	LC	breeding (1998)	140–280 pairs	B2, C6
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva	LC	breeding (1998)	550–600 pairs	C6
Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush Monticola saxatilis	LC	breeding (1996)	20 pairs	B2
Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus	LC	breeding (1996)	200–300 pairs	B2
Goldcrest Regulus regulus	LC	breeding (1996)	6,500–9,000 pairs	B3
Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris	LC	breeding (1998)	600–800 pairs	A3
Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs	LC	resident (1998)	135,000–180,000 pairs	B3

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1948	Boatin	Rezervat (Ia)	1
1948	Boatin	Reserve (-)	1
1949	Tsarichina	Rezervat (Ia)	2
1949	Chamdja	Poddarzhan Rezarvat (IV)	<1
1953	Dzhendema	Rezervat (Ia)	3
1961	Elenova Gora	Rezervat (Ia)	<1
1964	Desetkar	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1965	Vodopad Suchurum	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	-
1966	Kostina	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1971	Vartopa	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1971	Vikanata skala	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	-
1972	Orlov kamak-Chervenata stena	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1973	Sokolski manastir	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1974	Mechkite	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1975	Eninskoto zhdrelo	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1975	Benkovskata pesheta	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1976	Evkaya-Kamenna kashta	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	-
1977	Boitine	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	1
1979	Steneto	Rezervat (Ia)	2
1979	Peeshti skali	Rezervat (Ia)	1
1979	Sokolna	Rezervat (Ia)	1
1979	Mehchenica-Yovovtsi	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1979	Tarnichensko praskalo	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1979	Guruncheto	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1979	Peeshti Skali	Reserve (-)	1
1981	Stara reka	Rezervat (Ia)	1
1981	Cherniat rat	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1981	Cherti grad	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1983	Severen Dzhendem	Rezervat (Ia)	1
1983	Stara reka	Buffer Zone (-)	<1
1983	Steneto	Buffer Zone (-)	<1
1983	Tsaritchina	Buffer Zone (-)	1
1983	Severen Djendem	Buffer Zone (-)	<1
1984	Kamenshtitza	Rezervat (Ia)	1
1984	Leshnitza	Rezervat (Ia)	<1
1985	Sokolna	Buffer Zone (-)	<1
1987	Kozia stena	Rezervat (Ia)	1
1987	Skalen venetz	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1987	Stolishta	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1987	Kozya Stena	Buffer Zone (-)	<1
1987	Kozya Stena	Reserve (-)	1
1989	Studen kladenetz	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1991	Centralen Balkan	Nacionalen Park (II)	43
1991	Djendema	Buffer Zone (-)	1
1991	Boatin	Buffer Zone (-)	1
2002	Bulgarka	Priroden Park (V)	14
2007	Katuna	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
2007	Sechi kamak	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
2007	Borsuk kaya	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	45	Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Native coniferous woodland
Grassland	25	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland; Dry siliceous grassland; Alpine, subalpine and boreal grassland; Humid grasslands
Shrubland	21	Scrub; Sclerophyllous scrub, garrigue and maquis
Artificial/Terrestrial	1	Perennial crops, orchards and groves
Wetlands (inland)	1	Standing freshwater; Rivers and streams; Fens, transition mires and springs
Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic)	-	Caves
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	-	Inland cliffs

Land use	% of IBA
tourism/recreation	72
agriculture	43
forestry	20

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Central Balkan (Bulgaria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/central-balkan-iba-bulgaria on 22/12/2024.