NEW DATA FOR THE PRESENCE AND NUMBERS OF SOME CONSERVATION DEPENDENT BIRDS IN KRESNA GORGE WITH PROPOSAL OF ORIGINAL METHOD FOR INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFICATION OF VULTURES
*EMILIAN STOYNOV¹, HRISTO PESHEV¹, ATANAS GROZDANOV², VENTZESLAV DELOV², NADIA VANGELOVA¹, DANIELO PESHEV²
1 – Fund for Wild Flora and Fauna, 2700 Blagoevgrad, P.O. Box 78, 49 Ivan Michaylov Str, room 327, Bulgaria
2 – University of Sofia “St. Kliment Ohridski” Faculty of Biology, 8 Dragan Tzankov Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
*Corresponding author: pirin@fwff.org
Keywords: Kresna Gorge, Birds of Prey, Gyps fulvus, Aegypius monachus, Neophron percnopterus, Aquila heliaca, Falco eleonorae, Falco biarmicus
Abstract: After the start of reintroduction activities for the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) in 2010 and the following establishment of a vulture feeding station in Kresna Gorge, the observations and monitoring of the avifauna in the area were intensified. As a result, several new species for the Gorge were registered and new information about the numbers and season presence of other rarely observed birds in the area was added. During the period 2010-2014 seven new species for Kresna Gorge were found (Pelecanus onocrotalus, Milvus milvus, Aquila clanga, Aquila heliaca, Falco naumanni, Falco biarmicus, Falco eleonorae). In addition relatively high numbers or regular passing during migration and dispersal were registered for previously unobserved or rarely observed conservation dependent birds in the Gorge (Gyps fulvus >100 ind., Falco eleonorae > 50 ind., Pelecanus crispus > 30 ind., regular observations of Milvus migrans, Circus pygargus and Circus macrourus). As a result of implementation of specific conservation measures, an increase in the presence of some endangered species was detected in the area, including Gyps fulvus, Aegypius monachus, Neophron percnopterus and Aquila heliaca.