Atlas of nesting birds in Bulgaria

European Honey Buzzard

(Pernis apivorus)

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

Population size: 450 – 550 pairs

Distribution pattern

Dispersed over almost the entire territory of the country, with highest density in the low and middle areas of the mountains with forests (Eastern Rhodopes, Eastern Stara Planina, Strandzha, large dry valleys in Dobrudzha). Relatively dense also on a part of the territory of Sakar, the valley of the Struma River and the neighbouring mountains, the Western Rhodopes, Western Stara Planina, Ludogorie. Most sporadically distributed in the Danubian Plain and the Thracian Plain.

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 in forests, mainly in broad-leaved deciduous forests and mixed forests, and in the higher parts of the mountains – in coniferous forests.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Not analysed

Threats

Not analysed