Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
A dam on the Ovtcharitza river, surrounded by low hills with arable land (mainly winter wheat). The reservoir is used for cooling an electric power-station at the site (`Other' land-use, below), and therefore the water does not freeze in winter. Human activities include hunting, fishing and irrigation.
Important in winter for fish-eating birds (
Phalacrocorax spp.,
Pelecanus crispus) and for
Anser albifrons. The site holds 20,000 or more waterbirds on a regular basis.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Uncontrolled hunting of waterbirds is a serious threat. The reservoir is proposed as a protected area.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ovtcharitsa Reservoir (Bulgaria). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ovtcharitsa-reservoir-iba-bulgaria on 23/12/2024.
