Completed Project by Green Balkans in support of the Montagu's Harrier.

The project activities were designed to prevent accidents involving young Harriers during the harvesting and to promote the Lesser Kestrel, and raptors in general, as a form of pest control in agriculture, controlling insects and rodents.

Within eight months the Green Balkans team had visited over 60 cities including Stara Zagora, Yambol , Sliven and Haskovo. The first stage of the project was an exploratory expedition to find the nests of Montagu’s Harriers. In this period information and materials were given out explaining everything about Harriers and Lesser Kestrels as our “Feathered helpers in the field.”

All the tenants in the buildings and the people in the fields we passed were given leaflets, posters and stickers with the phone number of the Rescue Center. Most of them were informed of how to act if they witness an incident involving a young Harrier in the field .

The second stage of the campaign was aimed at students .
Within three months we visited Nova Zagora, Topolovgrad, Radnevo, Sliven, Yambol and Gulubovo where over 600 children learned about the Harrier and Lesser Kestrel, and their importance in agriculture.
Also during the eight months of the project, more than 600 children from across the country visited the visitor area at the Rescue Center. Here they learned about the target species of the project, how to protect them and why we call them "Feathered helpers."

"The problem concerning the Harrier is huge. In practice, it is envisaged the survival of the species. And despite the seemingly short period of the project, we made a very important first step in a long campaign to protect Montagu's Harriers and other “Feathered helpers in the field." Said Christina Klisurova, project manager .

The campaign will continue after completion of the project because the problem facing Montagu’s Harriers and other birds, as helpers in the field remains and, will continue to stand in the coming years. That is why the team from Green Balkans will continue the "Feathered assistants in the field" campaign with the support of our "allies" like the farmers that have already learned about the initiative, as well as local authorities, the media and of course anyone who is willing to help.

For more information visit http://www.mtel.bg/priroda.

Christina Klisurova - Project Manager " Feathered assistants in the field"
Rescue Center for Wild Animals
e-mail: hhristova@greenbalkans.org; mobile phone: +359886570053