What's better than being with family? This applies to both humans and birds! Small, fluffy, chicks feel best in their native nest, under the warm care of their parents.
We were once again convinced of this when, after nearly a week's stay in the incubator, we returned the newly hatched bearded vulture to its parents!
Mom was the first to appear in the nest, followed shortly by dad. We were able to capture the first seconds of the family meeting, via the surveillance cameras placed in the bird's nest... and they were extremely exciting!
And why did we have to take the little one?
In nature, young bird parents learn slowly, year after year, how to raise their young. Often their young do not survive the first years because the parents are inexperienced. And this is rather normal. However, when it comes to an endangered species, each individual is important, that's why we don't have time to wait for the birds to learn how to be a parent, but take care of the newly hatched for them during the first, critical days. We feed him, take care of him until he is a little bit older and can only raise his head during feeding. This usually happens by the fifth, sixth day after hatching, after which we return it to the nest!
And so, today, the bird family is whole again. The parents immediately took care of the little one, and it would learn from them how to become a big and strong bird that would one day fly in the sky above the Old Continent.
Thanks to our colleague and friend Alex Yopes from VCF, for the invaluable advice and guidance!
Additional information:
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is the largest coordinated network for nature conservation. More than 30% of Bulgaria's territory is covered by the network - 120 protected areas for the protection of wild birds and 234 protected areas for the protection of natural habitats.
Bearded Vulture
The bearded vulture - protected by the ecological network Natura 2000. A symbol of Bulgarian nature protection, but a species that disappeared from the fauna of Bulgaria as early as the 60s. Its former habitats are Natura 2000 protected areas.
The information activities of the Green Balkans Wildlife Rescue Center related to the bearded vulture are carried out by the project: "NATURA 2000 in Bulgaria - NEW HORIZONS" - LIFE17 GIE/BG/000371
We were once again convinced of this when, after nearly a week's stay in the incubator, we returned the newly hatched bearded vulture to its parents!
Mom was the first to appear in the nest, followed shortly by dad. We were able to capture the first seconds of the family meeting, via the surveillance cameras placed in the bird's nest... and they were extremely exciting!
And why did we have to take the little one?
In nature, young bird parents learn slowly, year after year, how to raise their young. Often their young do not survive the first years because the parents are inexperienced. And this is rather normal. However, when it comes to an endangered species, each individual is important, that's why we don't have time to wait for the birds to learn how to be a parent, but take care of the newly hatched for them during the first, critical days. We feed him, take care of him until he is a little bit older and can only raise his head during feeding. This usually happens by the fifth, sixth day after hatching, after which we return it to the nest!
And so, today, the bird family is whole again. The parents immediately took care of the little one, and it would learn from them how to become a big and strong bird that would one day fly in the sky above the Old Continent.
Thanks to our colleague and friend Alex Yopes from VCF, for the invaluable advice and guidance!
Additional information:
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is the largest coordinated network for nature conservation. More than 30% of Bulgaria's territory is covered by the network - 120 protected areas for the protection of wild birds and 234 protected areas for the protection of natural habitats.
Bearded Vulture
The bearded vulture - protected by the ecological network Natura 2000. A symbol of Bulgarian nature protection, but a species that disappeared from the fauna of Bulgaria as early as the 60s. Its former habitats are Natura 2000 protected areas.
The information activities of the Green Balkans Wildlife Rescue Center related to the bearded vulture are carried out by the project: "NATURA 2000 in Bulgaria - NEW HORIZONS" - LIFE17 GIE/BG/000371
