A Green Balkans' team observed a young Saker falcon in the wild
10.12.2021During the study, the falcon population in Bulgaria, part of the activities under the ''LIFE for Falcons'' LIFE20 NAT/BG/001162 project, the Green Balkans field team, a project partner, registered a two-year-old Saker falcon. We received a signal for the falcon from Alexander Hitrov, a member of the Bulgarian Falconry Society.
The bird was observed for several consecutive days by our team. On all the days, the young falcon was spotted resting in the same place. Unfortunately, so far we have not been able to determine with certainty whether the falcon is marked with a ring or not, as the bird is very timid and does not allow us to get very close to it.
Observations of Saker falcons in our country are rare. The species had disappeared from the nature of Bulgaria as a nesting species until 2018 when the first pair in the wild was registered in decades. After careful observation, we found that it was formed by birds hatched and released by the Green Balkans' Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Center!
The work of our team for the restoration of the species began in the distant 2010. In parallel with our work on breeding and releasing birds, in this project we have included activities related to research and support of Saker falcons in the wild.
Each falcon sighting is a glimmer of hope for the return of the species to our country, which is why it is very important for our team.
We hope that during our five years of work on the ''Life for Falcons'' LIFE20 NAT/BG/001162 project we will have many occasions for good news, which our team will share with you.
The "Securing the recovery of the endangered Saker Falcon in Bulgaria and Southern Romania" (LIFE20 NAT/BG/001162) project is of 5 years duration and receives funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.
The bird was observed for several consecutive days by our team. On all the days, the young falcon was spotted resting in the same place. Unfortunately, so far we have not been able to determine with certainty whether the falcon is marked with a ring or not, as the bird is very timid and does not allow us to get very close to it.
Observations of Saker falcons in our country are rare. The species had disappeared from the nature of Bulgaria as a nesting species until 2018 when the first pair in the wild was registered in decades. After careful observation, we found that it was formed by birds hatched and released by the Green Balkans' Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Center!
The work of our team for the restoration of the species began in the distant 2010. In parallel with our work on breeding and releasing birds, in this project we have included activities related to research and support of Saker falcons in the wild.
Each falcon sighting is a glimmer of hope for the return of the species to our country, which is why it is very important for our team.
We hope that during our five years of work on the ''Life for Falcons'' LIFE20 NAT/BG/001162 project we will have many occasions for good news, which our team will share with you.
The "Securing the recovery of the endangered Saker Falcon in Bulgaria and Southern Romania" (LIFE20 NAT/BG/001162) project is of 5 years duration and receives funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.
