Bonelli’s Eagle

(Aquila fasciata)

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

Population size: 0 – 2 pairs

Distribution pattern

In the last 10 years, there is no data on occupied breeding territories in the country. Single observations of stray birds have been registered on the Black Sea coast and in Southern Bulgaria. In recent years, it has been found mainly in some mountainous areas near the border with Greece, including a few tens of kilometres from it. Territories occupied by the species have been registered in the Eastern and Central Rhodopes. The specimens found on the Northern Black Sea coast are probably nomadic specimens, although in 1959 almost the same observations have been registered.

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 only on inland cliffs and exposed rocks, and in other parts of the breeding range on trees. There is a preference towards rocky places close to river valleys, and especially to remote sites with little human presence. The latter is probably one of the reasons the species is so little known.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Not analysed

Threats

Not analysed