Willow Tit

(Parus montanus)

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

Population size: 25 000 – 50 000 pairs

Distribution pattern

With patchy distribution, concentrated predominantly in the coniferous belt of the high mountains of the Rila-Rhodope Massif, Western and Central Stara Planina, Sredna Gora, Vitosha, Rui Mountain, but also in lower mountains without a real coniferous belt (Eastern Stara Planina, Strandzha, etc.). Bulgaria is close to the southern borderline of the species’ range in Europe, in Greece only three breeding sites are known south of the Rhodopes.

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 coniferous forests of Picea abies, Pinus peuce, P. heldreichii, P. sylvestris, and P. nigra and in mixed forests. Less common in broad-leaved deciduous forests, in particular – of Fagus sylvatica.

Trends in population changes for the period 2013-2020

Not analysed

Threats

Not analysed