Atlas of nesting birds in Bulgaria

Common Kingfisher

(Alcedo atthis)

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

Population size: 1 000 – 2 000 pairs

Distribution pattern

With grouped and linear distribution, close to the river network (the middle and lower reaches) and to other wetlands in the plains and the hilly parts in the whole country, in some fore – mountainous and mountainous regions (the Fore Balkan, the Western Rhodopes). More visibly grouped along the Danube River, the Black Sea coast, the Eastern Rhodopes, and considerable parts of the Danubian Plain, the Thracian Plain, the Sofia Field, etc. The distribution varies greatly in places according to the dynamics of the riverbanks (riverbank collapse, leveling, etc.).

Big size map

Breeding distribution 2013 – 2020 – The distribution and the estimation of the population size of the species for the period 2013 – 2020 is presented –

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 on the banks of rivers, canals and other water bodies with running waters, near standing fresh waters, less often standing brackish waters; depending on the presence of suitable vertical soil or sandy bars. Inhabits suitable areas along the seacoast (narrow sea bays, estuaries). In these cases builds its nests both on the banks of the rivers flowing into the sea, on steep slopes along the coast, as the birds forage in quiet bays.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Not analysed

Threats

Not analysed