Data Zone
Country/territory: Bulgaria
IBA criteria met: A1, A4iv, B1iv, B2, B3, C1, C5, C6 (2005)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 88,884 ha
Site description (2000 baseline)
This mountainous area forms the north-easternmost part of the Stara Planina mountains. There are rocky massifs, two reservoirs˜Eleshnitza (100 ha) and Tzonevo (300 ha)˜and three rivers. Broadleaved forests of Quercus, Fagus and Tilia predominate, with cultivated land and pastures scattered between forests and villages. Human activity is only absent from the Strict Reserves.
Key biodiversity
This is one of the most important breeding areas in the country for some raptors (Neophron percnopterus, Aquila chrysaetos) and forest species (Dendrocopos medius, Ficedula semitorquata). The eastern part of the mountain is also a major migratory bottleneck site, where huge numbers of large soaring migrants pass overhead in autumn, especially Ciconia ciconia (up to 80,000 per season) and Aquila pomarina. Significant proportion (³1%) of national population breeding at site: Ciconia nigra (3-4 pairs), Circaetus gallicus (1 pair), Buteo rufinus (2 pairs), Aquila pomarina (1 pair), Bubo bubo (2-3 pairs).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kamchiyska Mountain (Bulgaria). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kamchiyska-mountain-iba-bulgaria on 22/11/2024.