EP North installs nesting boxes for endangered bird species

Monitoring of nesting sites for Red-footed Kestrel has been completed (Northern Hawk) and bruise (Coracias garrulus), which were installed jointly with ERP North in March and April this year as part of the LIFE project “Safe sky for birds in North-East Bulgaria”. A total of 150 nesting boxes were placed in Veliko Tarnovo, Dobrich, Ruse and Silistra districts. Ninety of them are designed for a bruise, and the rest - for a red-footed kestrel.

The monitoring showed that 46% of bruise nesting sites are occupiedof a total of 5 species of birds, among which 14 pairs of bluebirds. Of interest is the nesting of an important one, which is observed for the first time in our country on this type of nesting boxes.

On the other type of nesting box — designed for red-footed kestrels, only one nesting species was recorded - the black-headed kestrels.

Monitoring will continue in the following breeding seasons, with the hope that the number of occupied nestlings will increase.

Red-footed Kestrelis a small falcon that in the last twenty years has suffered a drastic population decline in our country and reached the critical threshold of only a few known pairs in 2022. This is the reason why the species is included in the Red Book of Bulgaria in the category “Critically Endangered”, and in view of its decreasing number in Europe — it is part of the World Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Sinyavicatais a protected species that nests in holes in earthen slopes, rock niches, stone walls, tree hollows and in cavities of concrete electric poles. The population of this blue-dyed bird began to undergo a drastic decline in the 50s of the XX century. The use of pesticides in agriculture is the main reason for this.

The project “Safe sky for birds in North-East Bulgaria”launched at the end of 2022 and has a duration of 5 years. In the coming months, activities will continue with the isolation of power poles from the EPP North network and the installation of diverters in 28 Natura 2000 project areas and in key corridors between the special protected areas. Priority sections for safekeeping were identified during a special field survey conducted in 2023. The scope of the project includes 16 species of endangered birds in Bulgaria, and the main goal is to prevent their unnatural mortality, as a result of electric shock and collision with overhead power lines.