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PROJECT SITES

The project activities are carried out in the region of Coastal Dobrudzha, covering 3 special protected areas (SPA) of the European ecological network “Natura 2000″ along the northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast – Kaliakra, Shabla Lake Complex and Durankulak, as well as SREBARNA SPA, located at the Danube.

 

Kaliakra SPA is the only site in Bulgaria, which has preserved remnants of the Eastern Dobrudzha steppe, as well as the largest cliff massif along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It supports 310 bird species, 71 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (in press) and 106 of which are of European Conservation Concern (SPEC categories 1-3) (BirdLife International, 2004), 17 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 (globally threatened or near threatened), 21 in SPEC 2 and 68 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The site provides key habitats for 100 species included in Annex 2 of the Bulgarian Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 95 are listed also in Annex 1 of the Birds Directive.

Kaliakra holds the last large and comparatively well preserved steppe habitat in Dobrudzha, and supports a high value community of typical steppe breeding bird species. The largest Bulgarian populations of Eurasian Thick-knee (Burhinus oedicnemus, SPEC3, Birds Directive Annex 1, 46 pairs), Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla, SPEC3, Annex 1, 481 pairs) and Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 2,000 pairs) occur here, along with Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleshanka, Annex 1, 181 pairs), Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor, SPEC2, Annex 1, 62 pairs). A number of birds of prey are also present, such as Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus, SPEC3, Annex 1), Levant Sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes, SPEC2, Annex 1), Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1, 0-5 pairs) and Eurasian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo, SPEC3, Annex 1).

The coastal cliffs host the only Bulgarian colony of European Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii, Annex 1, ~250 pairs), while the coastal waters support the largest recorded flocks of Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1) in the country, with a maximum count of 1,220 individuals.

The region is of exceptional importance during migration, as it is located on the Via Pontica – the second biggest migration flyway in Europe. It is a typical bottleneck site. Every autumn large numbers of soaring birds – more than 29,000 storks, pelicans and cranes and more than 3,000 birds of prey pass over Kaliakra. These include Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1), Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug, globally Endangered, SPEC1, Annex 1) and Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca, globally Vulnerable, SPEC1, Annex 1). Cape Kaliakra is the point where Bulgaria’s land territory reaches furthest into the sea. Due to the east – west orientation of the coastline and the predominant north-west wind, migratory birds tend to stay in the area for relatively long periods, trying to avoid overflying the sea, attempting to gain height. During strong winds, many storks (Ciconia spp.) and raptors (mainly harriers Circus spp.) make landfall on the fields between Kavarna and Cape Kaliakra. The whole territory of Kaliakra SPA between Kavarna and Tyulenovo is used as a stopover site by migratory storks and also many songbirds, Common Quaill and Corncrake.

Significant numbers of waterbirds overwinter (December-March) in Kaliakra, mainly geese (e.g. up to ~15,000 Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons). They roost overnight on the sea and feed in the arable lands during the day.

Red-breasted geese overwinter at the site in small numbers, with a maximum count in recent years of 157 individuals. Numbers vary according to winter severity.

In addition to the value for birds, 40 rare, threatened and endemic plant species and sub-species have been recorded in the SPA. Eight of them are included in the PlantLife European list of rare, threatened and endemic plants and 25 are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (1984), 15 of them being in the category “rare” and 10 – “threatened with extinction”.

 

Shabla Lake Complex SPA

The site supports 260 bird species, 103 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (in press). Of the birds occurring there 111 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 13 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened or near-threatened, 26 in SPEC 2 and 72 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe.

The area provides suitable habitats for 90 species included in Annex 2 of the Bulgarian Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 86 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive.

The complex is of enormous importance for the Red-breasted Goose in winter, as, together with Durankulak Lake, at times it holds almost the entire known global population of this species. Peak counts vary dramatically between winters, because winter severity affects how far south-west they travel along the flyway. Maximum count at Shabla is 55,845 birds, and the lowest recent winter maximum has been 2,237 birds. The site is used by the species for autumn and spring staging as well as over-wintering.

The site is also of global importance for other congregatory wintering waterbirds. Up to ~178,000 Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) have been recorded, along with a maximum of 3,273 Greylag Geese (Anser anser) 261 Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus, Annex 1) and 62,210 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and 286 Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus, Annex 1). Small groups of globally Vulnerable Lesser White-fronted Geese (Anser erythropus, SPEC1, Annex 1) are regularly recorded among the commoner waterfowl (up to 50 individuals, but fewer in recent years).

The lake complex is a migration staging site for large numbers of storks (Ciconia spp.), geese Anatidae, and waders Charadriiformes. Among these are small numbers of a several waterbirds of high conservation concern such as Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1, up to 88 individuals) Lesser White-fronted Geese, Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus, globally Vulnerable, SPEC1, Annex 1), White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala, globally Endangered, SPEC1, Annex 1), Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga, globally Vulnerable, SPEC1, Annex 1), and Pygmy Cormorant (up to 392 individuals).

Three species of global conservation concern breed at the site: Ferruginous Duck, Corncrake (Crex crex, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1) and Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1, up to 16 pairs). A further group of European priority species are also present as breeding birds: Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus, Annex 1, up to 9 pairs), Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 14 pairs), Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 10 pairs), Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor, SPEC2, Annex 1) and Little Tern (Sterna albifrons, SPEC3, Annex 1).

 

Durankulak Lake SPA

Durankulak Lake and the adjacent territories support 260 bird species, 107 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (in press). Of the birds occurring there 110 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 14 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened or near-threatened, 27 in SPEC 2 and 69 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe.

The area provides suitable habitats for 95 species, included in Annex 2 of the Bulgaria Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 91 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive.

Durankulak Lake is a site of global importance for wintering waterbirds, mainly because of the very large concentrations of geese. Durankulak and Shabla Lakes combined frequently support the majority of the world population of Red-breasted Goose during winter, and sometimes almost the entire population. The peak Red-breasted Goose count for the site is 39,223 individuals. Numbers fluctuate widely between winters, in response to the severity of the weather, with peak counts in the low thousands in some years. Alongside the Red-breasted Geese are extremely large concentrations of Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons, maximum count 73,531 birds) and smaller flocks of Greylag Geese (Anser anser, maximum count 311 birds). Small numbers (up to 50) of the globally Vulnerable Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus, SPEC1, Annex 1) regularly occurs among the goose flocks.

The site is also significant for other wintering waterbirds. Up to 67 Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1) and 16 White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala, SPEC1, Annex 1) have been recorded, along with Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus, globally Vulnerable, SPEC1, Annex 1, 200 individuals) and Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus, Annex 1, up to 356 individuals).

As the lake is located on the Via Pontica migration flyway and close to the Danube delta, it is one of the most important bird migration stopover sites along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Especially numerous are storks Ciconia spp., geese Anatidae and waders Charadriiformes, and these are joined by smaller numbers of White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus, SPEC3, Annex 1), Pygmy Cormorant (up to 228 birds during migration periods) and single Greater Spotted Eagles (Aquila clanga, globally Vulnerable, SPEC1, Annex 1) and Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola, globally Vulnerable, SPEC1, Annex 1)

The coastal marine waters are used by the Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1) for foraging.

The lake is also an important waterbird breeding site. It supports breeding Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 6 pairs), Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 17 pairs), Red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1, up to 5 pairs), Little Crake (Porzana parva, Annex 1, up to 7 pairs), Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 17 pairs), Collared Pratincole (Pratincola glareola, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 14 pairs), Little Tern (Sterna albifrons, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 8 pairs), Western Marsh Harrier (Annex 1), Ferruginous Duck, Great Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), Eurasian Thick-knee (Burhinus oedicnemus, SPEC3, Annex 1) and Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris, SPEC3, Annex 1).

 

Srebarna SPA

Srebarna Lake supports 173 bird species, 78 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (in press). Of the birds occurring there 78 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 9 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened or near-threatened, 19 in SPEC 2 and 50 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The area provides suitable habitats for 64 species, listed in Annex 2 of the Bulgarian Biodiversity Act, comprising the species that need special conservation measures, of which 58 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive.

The lake is primarily important as a breeding site for colonial waterbirds. It hosts the only colony of the globally threatened Dalmatian pelican (globally Vulnerable, SPEC1, Annex 1) in the country, with up to 110 pairs in recent years. It also holds Bulgaria’s largest breeding populations of Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus, SPEC1, Annex 1, 15 pairs) and Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca, globally near-threatened, SPEC1, Annex 1, 60 pairs). Its mixed heronry supports important breeding numbers of Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus, SPEC3, Annex 1, 20 pairs), Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 150 pairs), Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides, SPEC3, Annex 1, 60 pairs), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta, Annex 1, up to 100 pairs), Great Egret (Casmerodius  (=Egretta) alba, Annex 1, up to 20 pairs), Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea, SPEC3, Annex 1, 50 pairs). Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus, SPEC3, Annex 1, up to 50 pairs), Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia, SPEC2, Annex 1 up to 35 pairs). The mixed tern colony comprises up to 500 pairs of Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus, SPEC3, Annex 1), 40 pairs of Common Tern (Sterna hirundo, Annex 1) and nine pairs of Black Tern (Chlidonias niger, SPEC3, Annex 1). There are also breeding  Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea, SPEC3, Annex 1, 4 pairs), White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla, Annex 1, 1 pair) and Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus, Annex 1, up to 15 pairs).

The site also supports important wintering concentrations of waterbirds, including up to ~50,000 Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) and up to 58 Pygmy Cormorants.

Srebarna Lake is crucial to the conservation of the Red-breasted Goose. This is usually the first roosting place for geese when they migrate to winter in Bulgaria. The geese occur primarily in late autumn. It roosts on the lake and feeds in surrounding agricultural land, with flocks generally moving on toward Shabla and Durankulak later in the winter.