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

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1949	Belogradchishki skali	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1962	Mishin kamak	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1968	Gornata Koria	Rezervat (Ia)	<1
1971	Haydushki vodopadi	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1971	Venetza	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1973	Chuprene	Rezervat (Ia)	1
1973	Kopren	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1973	Uruchnik	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1973	Tchuprene	Reserve (-)	1
1976	Bialata voda	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1976	Boroviat kamak	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
1976	Peshteri Levi I Desni suhi pech	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	-
1977	Réserve Tchoupréné	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	1
1979	Vodopad Durshin	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	-
1980	Vodnia skok	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	-
1986	Chuprenski buki	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1986	Samarite	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
1986	Tchuprene	Buffer Zone (-)	<1
1992	Usketo	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
2005	Sto ovtsi	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
2009	Midzhur	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
2010	Gardata	Prirodna Zabelezhitelnost (III)	<1
2011	Koritata	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1
2012	Shabovitsa	Zashtitena Mestnost (VI)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	96	Broadleaved deciduous woodland; Native coniferous woodland
Shrubland	3	Scrub
Grassland	1	Dry siliceous grassland

Land use	% of IBA
not utilised	73
agriculture	27
tourism/recreation	27

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Western Balkan (Bulgaria). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/western-balkan-iba-bulgaria on 23/12/2024.