Bird Watching in Bulgaria

Bird watching in Bulgaria benefits from its many native birds and the country lies on the direct route for many migratory species that make a pit stop here between their seasonal African and European homes. A total of 397 species have been documented, but spring is the best time to visit for sheer variety, with an average of 220 species on Bulgarian soil.

Plentiful Species
Bird watching in Bulgaria is a unique experience, it is the best place in the world to see wallcreepers {Tichodroma muraria), the biggest European populations of masked and lesser grey shrike (Lanuis nubicus and Lanuis minor), short-toed treecreeper (Carthia brachydactyla), Spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis), collared flycatcher (Ficedula parva), black-headed and rock bunting da), black-headed wagtail (Motacilla flava feldegg), golden oriole {Oriolus oriolus), bee-eater (Merops apiaster), hoopoe (Upupa epops), rose-coloured starling (Sturnus roseus), corncrake (Crex crex), Syrian woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus), calandra and short-toed larks (Melanocorypha calandra and Calandrella brachydactyla) and rock nuthatch (S/fta neumayer).

Rare Species
Bird watching in Bulgaria offers species that are rare in the rest of Europe but more numerous here including the pallid swift (Apus pallidus), little and spotted crake (Porzana parva and Porzana porzana), stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), collared pratincole (Glareola pratincola), gull-billed and Caspian tern (Gelochelidon nilotica and Sterna caspia), eagle owl (Bubo bubo), Scops owl (Otus scops) and Tegmalms owl (Aegolius sfunereus), shore lark (Eremophila alpestris), rock and blue-rock thrush (Monticola saxatilis and Monticola solitarius), barred, Sardinian and Orphean warbler.

When and Where to Set up your Hide
Bird watching in Bulgaria is best in the Rodopi Mountains, they are Europe's richest environment for raptor species, autumn being the best time to see them. There are said to be 20,000 common buzzards (Buteo buteo), 6,000 honey buzzards (Pernis apivorus), 10,000 lesser spotted eagles (Aquiia pomarina) and a handful of rare Lammergeyer (Gypaetus barbatus) scanning the countryside for a tasty mouse or vole.
From August to October you'll be witness to a magnificent show of bird migration around the Burgas Lakes -white and black stork (Cfconia ticonia and Oconia nigrai, white pelican {Pelecanus onocrotaius) and short-toed e3gle (.Grcaetus galiizus), all heading south to winter quarters
Winter is the time for the goose family from the north, especially in northern Bulgaria at Lake Shabla. Here you'll find healthy populations of the white-fronted, lesser white-fronted, red-breasted and greylag goose (Anser albifrons, Anser erythropus, Branta rufkollis and Anser anser)
Sreburna Reserve in northeastern Europe just south of the Danube has the largest colony of Dalmatian pelican {Pelicanus cnspus) in Europe, at 220 pairs There are just 20 pairs of imperial eagle [Aquiia heliaca) but numerous glossy ibis {Piegadis falcinellus), booted eagle {Hieraaetus pennatus), and chukar {Alectonscker (Nucifraga caryocatactes), rock sparrow (Petronia petronia) and dotterel