The summer adventures of the Saker falcons Vihra, Hala, Buria and Veio

After a month's stay in Romania and Ukraine Vihra and Hala are back in Bulgaria. One of them, Vihra was last detected close to Gorna Oryahovica traveling southbound. Just like her sister Hala is located in northern Bulgaria (near Provadia), just before that she stopped near the village Gugutka and Biala Reka in the Eastern Rodopes.

The Young male falcon Veio is on the edge of the Sea of Azov. Besides being the only male in the group, he was the most adventurous and migrated the farthest.

Unlike her feathered companions, the fate of Buria brought a serious test. In mid-August she was found with a wounded wing in the ventilation shaft in Ploiesti, Romania. Probably chasing pigeons, the young bird has fallen into the shaft of a 10-storey building. We worry she might have spent nearly a week there before workers cleaning the facility found it dehydrated and exhausted. Thanks to the fast reaction of her rescuers, and the help of our friend Alexandru Kratsinu, Buria was brought to a veterinarian. There she received a life-saving first aid and her condition stabilized. It is now one week since Buria is back in its native Rescue Center in Stara Zagora.The team of Green Balkans is taking care of it as it heals from the injuries and from the secondary infections caused by them. Despite these efforts, unfortunately, the chances for Buria to be released back into the wild remain small.


The project “Reintroduction of the Sacer Falcon in Bulgaria” is a part of the research and conservation programme Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi executed by the Institute of biodiversity and ecosystem studies –BAS, Green Balkans and International Wildlife Consultants (UK) Ltd and with the support of Spatia Wildlife and (ZOO Bojnice).

For more information contact:
Dimitar Ragiov - Project Menager
е-mail: dimitar.ragyov@gmail.com; моб.тел. +359898585553,

Hristina Klisurova - Veterinarian
Public Relations, Wildlife Rescue Centre
e-mail: hhristova@greenbalkans.org; phone: + 359 886570053