“The aim of the counting is to gather accurate information which will serve for assessment of the change in the state of the populations of the observed species of birds. It is an index for the changes of the environment the birds and people inhabit”-comments Stoicho Stoichev form BCPB. “These findings are extremely important in the context of the climate change topic which is the problem of the present day all over the world and affects each one of us” – he added.
This winter we witnessed abrupt temperature’s changes – from freezing cold to higher degrees at the beginning of January. These changes are connected with the change of the number of the hibernating water birds in our country. During past weeks are several interesting and rare species of birds that have flown from the north to pass the winter in our country heve been reported. Among them with significant number are tundra(small) swan and the rare for our country big bustard, strepet(small bustard) and the globally endangered lesser white fronted goose and the red breasted goosе. A black goose , rare for our geographical latitude, has been observed near Burgas. That is only the sixth observation of this species in our country.
Bulgaria is a preferable place for hibernating of many water birds. Among them are species included in the World Red List as the red breasted goose, the lesser white fronted goose and others.
More than 20 000 numbers of the world endangered red breasted goose are registered till this moment in our country which is 40% of the world population of that species. This significant presence of the species in our country bears enormous responsibility for its survival worldwide. This winter we witnessed unusual observations connected with the red breasted geese. Several thousands of them were seen at the beginning of the winter in Hungary which is unusual for this species mainly hibernating in the region of Black sea (Northern Dobrudja) form the middle of XX century. In November nocks of red breasted geese were registered from the region of Caspian sea in the Russian Republic Kalmikia to Hungary which is unusual expansion with thousands of kilometres of the hibernating areal of the red breasted geese and the reasons are connected to climate change and as well as with the physical change in the environment caused by the human activity”, comments Dr Nikolay Petkov from BSPB, expert in water birds. ”Similar changes are found in other species as tundra swan which shows lower numbers in the traditional for its hibernating West Europe and changes in its migrating paths towards South eastern Europe ”, comments as well Dr. Petkov
The counting of the hibernating water birds is carried out in worldwide scale since 1967 and it is one of the most massive events in the field of nature conservation including around 15 000 experts and volunteers. It gives assessment for the state of the populations of the water birds and the condition of the regions where they hibernate - most of them are parts of the ecological network NATURA 2000. The counting is done in more than 100 countries and includes around 25 000 humid zones.
Partners at the counting in Bulgaria are Executive Environment Agency, Wildlife Society “Balkans”, Bulgarian Ornithology Center and Federation “Green Balkans”. The Ministry of Environment and Water also takes considerable part in it by securing cars and experts from its regional units. The experts will check up for violation of the Law for hunting. DLS “Dikchan”, village of Satovcha, municipality of Gotse Delchev will give assistance in the counting by supporting it in the region along Mesta River and dam of Dospat.
If You’d like to connect with a representative of BSPB at the regional offices, visit: http://bspb.org/bg/contacts.html
39nth annaul counting of wintering waterfoul in Bulgaria
