Atlas of nesting birds in Bulgaria

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

(Accipiter nisus)

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

Population size: 1 500 – 2 000 pairs

Distribution pattern

Dispersed and grouped throughout almost the entire territory of the country with the exception of some agricultural regions. More dense distribution in the forested parts, especially in the mountains, in the semi – mountainous and hilly regions, but also in the Ludogorie and even in Dobrudzha (where it breeds in the shelterbelts and the dry valleys). With relatively restricted distribution along the Danube River and some of the larger rivers, where probably replaced by the Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes.

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 mainly in broad-leaved deciduous forests, in mixed forests, in coniferous forests, in alluvial and riverine forests and brush, rarely – in strips of trees, shrubs and patches of them, in orchards, tree and shrub plantations, but also in forest type public parks and large gardens or other forest like parts of towns, villages, industrial sites.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Not analysed

Threats

Not analysed