Atlas of nesting birds in Bulgaria

European Roller

(Coracias garrulus)

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

Population size: 2 500 – 5 500 pairs

Distribution pattern

With almost dense distribution in the plains and some low mountainous areas of the country, especially along the Danube, in the northern and eastern parts of the Danubian plain, including Ludogorie and Dobrudzha, as well as south of Stara Planina in almost the entire Thracian Plain (from Pazardzhik to Burgas), the Eastern Rhodopes, Sakar, the Derventa Hills and others. Single isolated or grouped breeding grounds in neighbouring squares in the Fore-Balkan, the Sub-Balkan valleys and the western part of the country (the valleys of the rivers Struma and Mesta, the Sofia Field, 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 mainly in hollows in old single or in groups of trees in open areas, especially in riparian forest strips, in the edges of sparse deciduous forests in the plains, and in abandoned orchards. It often nests on rock cavities and in holes in vertical loess, sand or soil walls. In some cases, it nests in ruins, abandoned solitary buildings and in the vertical cavities of concrete power-line structures.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Not analysed

Threats

Not analysed