Black Kite

(Milvus migrans)

Category of conservation concern (IUCN, 2020) – Least Concern

Population size: 140 – 160 pairs

Distribution pattern

Grouped mainly along the valleys of the larger rivers and their tributaries – Tundzha, Maritsa, Danube, Arda, more dispersed in Ludogorie and the dry river valleys of Dobrudzha, as well as in other areas. The most densely populated breeding sites are in the region between the Eastern Rhodopes, Eastern Stara Planina and Strandzha, where the existence of larger rivers is combined with the presence of over 1000 micro-dams, several dams and other water bodies. Almost entirely absent from West Bulgaria and the Black Sea coast.

Comparative distribution of the species compared to the first breeding birds atlas (Iankov, 2007): Breeding locality until 2007 | Breeding locality until 2007, confirmed after 2015 – | New breeding locality after 2015. – The breeding localities after 2015 are identified on a base of raw data from smartbirds.org.

Habitats

Breeds in alluvial and riverine forests and brush, and in broad-leaved deciduous forests, rarely in strips of trees, hedges and patches of them, usually close to larger rivers or other wetlands.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Not analysed

Threats

Not analysed