Bulgaria: Expected birds

 
 Golden Eagle by Iordan Hristov
 
Birds expected to be found at the time of the tour in Bulgaria are given in the table below. We can expect to see over 200 species of birds. We have good chances of seeing over 20 species of birds of prey and quite a few Eastern European specialities. Currently Bulgaria becomes one of the best destinations in Europe because of its great diversity of habitats on a small territory.
We are happy to welcome you and experience the wilderness of our country.

You can see some of the sites that we are going to visit and the birds that we expect to see in this photo album here.

The table below includes:
  • English and scientific bird names
  • Probability of being observed in our study area in May.
  • Checklist of all the birds seen during each ear of training.
     
    The probability codes 1 and 2 means that we will probably see the species if we go to the right places. The legend is as follows:
  1. Very high chance of observing the species
  2. High change of observing the species.
  3. Rare, perhaps about 50% chance of observing the species.
  4. Very rare, but occasionally observed.

 

English Scientific Probability for observation Checklist
      2013 2014 2015 2017 2019
Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica 2 1 1 1 1 1
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 1 1 1 1 1
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 1 1 1 1 1
Black necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 2 1 1 1 1
Red necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena       1  1  
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus         1  
Greylag Goose Anser anser 2   1   1  
Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan 3 1 1 1 1 1
White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus 1 1 1 1 1
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus 1 1 1 1 1
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 1 1 1 1 1
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis 1 1 1 1 1
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus 1 1 1 1 1 1
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 1 1 1 1 1
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 1 1 1 1 1
Great White Egret Casmerodius albus 1 1 1   1
Little Egret Egretta garzetta 1 1 1 1 1 1
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides 1 1 1 1 1 1
Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 1 1 1 1 1 1
Bittern Botaurus stellaris       1    
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus 1 1 1 1 1
Black Stork Ciconia nigra 1 1 1 1 1
White Stork Ciconia ciconia 1 1 1 1 1
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 4 1 1 1 1 1
Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia 1 1 1 1 1 1
Mute Swan Cygnus olor 1 1 1 1 1 1
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea 3   1 1   1
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna 1 1 1 1 1
Wigeon Anas penelope 1 1 1      
Gadwall Anas strepera 1 1 1 1 1  
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 1 1 1 1 1
Garganey Anas querquedula 1 1 1 1 1
Teal Anas crecca 3       1  
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina 3 1 1 1 1  
Shoveler Anas clypeata 1 1 1 1 1
Pintail Anas acuta 2   1   1  
Pochard Aythya ferina 1 1 1 1 1
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula 2   1   1
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca 1 1 1 1 1
Common Eider Somateria mollissima 4 1        
Black Vulture Aegypius monachus 3          
Osprey Pandion haliaetus 3 1     1  
Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus 2 1 1 1 1 1
Black Kite Milvus migrans 2 1 1   1
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla 3 1 1   1 1
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus 1 1 1 1 1 1
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus 1 1 1 1 1
Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus 1 1 1 1 1 1
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus 3 1 1 1 1 1
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus 3 1        
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 1 1 1 1 1 1
Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes 2 1   1 1  
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus 1 1 1 1 1
Goshawk Accipiter gentilis 2 1     1 1
Buzzard Buteo buteo 1 1 1 1 1 1
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus 1 1 1 1 1 1
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina 2 1 1 1 1
Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca 2 1 1 1 1 1
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos 2 1 1   1 1
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus 2 1 1 1 1
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 1 1 1 1 1
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni 1       1 1
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus 2 1 1 1 1
Merlin Falco columbarius 3 1        
Hobby Falco subbuteo 1 1 1 1 1  1
Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae 3          
Peregrine Falco peregrinus 2 1 1 1 1
Chukar Alectoris chukar 3 1 1 1 1 1
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix 2 1 1 1 1
Quail Coturnix coturnix 1 1 1   1  1
Pheasant Phasianus colchicus 1 1 1 1 1
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus 1 1 1 1    
Little Crake Porzana parva 3          
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 1 1 1 1 1  1
Coot Fulica atra 1 1 1 1 1  1
Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo 4 1        
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus 2 1 1 1 1  1
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 1 1 1 1 1  1
Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta 1 1 1 1 1
Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus 3 1 1 1 1  1
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola 3 1 1 1 1 1
Lapwing Vanellus vanellus 1 1 1 1 1  1
Grey Plover Pluvialis apricaria 2 1 1 1    1
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula 2 1 1 1 1
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius 3 1 1 1 1  1
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus 2 1 1 1  
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 2   1   1  1
Curlew Numenius arquata 2   1      1
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus       1 1  1
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus 2 1 1 1 1  1
Redshank Tringa totanus 1 1 1 1    
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis 3   1      
Greenshank Tringa nebularia 2 1 1   1  1
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus 1 1 1 1 1  
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 2 1 1 1 1  1
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus possible on passage 1        
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 1 1 1 1 1  1
Turnstone Arenaria interpres 3 1 1 1 1  1
Sanderling Calidris alba 2 1   1  
Snipe Gallinago gallinago 2   1   1
Little Stint Calidris minuta 1 1 1 1 1
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii 3 1   1    
Dunlin Calidris alpina 2 1 1 1 1  
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea 2 1 1 1 1  1
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus possible on passage 1 1      1
Ruff Philomachus pugnax 2 1   1 1  1
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 2 1 1      
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus 1 1 1 1 1  1
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus 1 1 1 1 1 1
Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei 3 1 1 1  
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus 2 1 1    1 1
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus 1 1 1 1  1  1
White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus 2 1 1 1  1
Black Tern Chlidonias niger 2 1 1 1  1
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 3   1 1 1  1
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia 3          
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 1 1 1 1 1 1
Little Tern Sternula albifrons 2 1 1 1  1
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 1 1 1 1  1 1
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis 1 1 1 1 1
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans 1   1 1   1
Arctic skua Stercorarius parasiticus 2 1 1    1  
Feral Pigeon Columba livia domestica 1 1 1 1 1  1
Stock Dove Columba oenas 2 1 1 1    
Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus 1 1 1 1 1  1
Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur 1 1 1 1  1
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto 1 1 1 1  1
Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius 3          
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 1 1 1 1  1 1
Barn Owl Tyto alba 2 1        
Scops Owl Otus scops 1 1 1 1 1  1
Eagle Owl Bubo bubo 3 1 1 1    
Tawny Owl Strix aluco 2 1 1    1  
Little Owl Athene noctua 1 1 1 1 1  1
Long-eared Owl Asio otus 2     1    
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus         1  
Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus 3   1      
Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba 1 1 1 1 1
Pallid Swift Apus pallidus 2 1 1 1 1 1
Swift Apus apus 1 1 1 1 1
Kingfisher Alcedo atthis 1 1 1   1
Bee-eater Merops apiaster 1 1 1 1 1 1
Roller Coracias garrulus 1 1 1 1 1
Hoopoe Upupa epops 1 1 1 1 1 1
Wryneck Jynx torquilla 1   1 1 1
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor 1 1 1 1 1 1
Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius 1 1 1 1 1 1
Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus 1 1 1 1 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major 1 1 1 1 1
Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius 2 1 1 1 1 1
Green Woodpecker Picus viridis 1 1 1 1 1
Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus 2 1 1 1 1  1
Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra 1 1 1 1 1
Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla 2 1 1 1  1
Crested Lark Galerida cristata 1 1 1 1  1
Woodlark Lullula arborea 1 1 1 1  1 1
Skylark Alauda arvensis 1 1 1 1  1
Sand Martin Riparia riparia 1 1 1 1 1
Crag Martin Hirundo rupestris 1 1 1 1 1  1
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 1 1 1 1 1
Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica 1 1 1 1 1
House Martin Delichon urbica 1 1 1 1 1  1
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 1 1 1 1 1
Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola 3   1      
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea 1 1 1 1 1
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris 1 1 1 1 1 1
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis 2 1     1  
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis 2 1 1    
Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus 4 1        
White Wagtail Motacilla alba 1 1 1 1 1
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio 1 1 1 1 1
Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor 1 1 1 1 1
Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator 1 1 1 1 1
Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus 2 1   1    
Dipper Cinclus cinclus 1 1 1 1 1
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 1 1 1 1 1  
Dunnock Prunella modularis 1 1 1 1 1
Robin Erithacus rubecula 1 1 1 1 1
Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia 4   1 1 1
Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos 1 1 1 1 1
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros 1 1 1 1 1
Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus 2 1 1 1 1 1
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra 1 1 1 1 1
Stonechat Saxicola torquatus 1 1 1 1 1
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe 1 1 1 1 1
Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka 1 1 1 1  1
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica 2 1 1 1  1
Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina 1 1 1 1  1
Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius 2 1 1 1 1
Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus 2 1 1 1 1
Blackbird Turdus merula 1 1 1 1 1 1
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos 1 1 1 1 1
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus 1 1 1 1 1
Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti 1 1 1 1 1 1
Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides 2 1 1   1
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus 2   1   1
Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola 2 1 1   1  
Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus 2 1 1 1  1
Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris 2   1      
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus 1 1 1 1  1  1
River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis 4   1 1    
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Iduna pallida 2 1   1    1
Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum 2 1   1    
Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina 2 1        
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 1 1 1 1  1
Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita 1 1 1 1  1
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus orientalis 3 1 1 1  1
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix 2   1 1  1 1
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla 1 1 1 1  1
Garden Warbler Sylvia borin 2   1 1    
Whitethroat Sylvia communis 1 1 1 1 1
Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca 1 1 1 1 1
Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria 1 1 1 1 1
Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia crassirostris 3 1 1 1  1
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala 3     1 1
Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans 2 1 1 1 1
Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus 2   1 1 1  1
Goldcrest Regulus regulus 1 1 1    1  1
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata 1 1 1 1  1  1
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca 2   1 1  1
Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis 3   1 1  
Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata 2 1 1 1  1
Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva 2 1 1 1  1
Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus 2 1 1 1 1  
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus 1 1 1 1   1
Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus 2 1 1 1 1
Marsh Tit Poecile palustris 1   1   1
Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris 1 1 1 1 1 1
Willow Tit Poecile montanus 2   1 1 1  
Coal Tit Periparus ater 1 1 1 1 1  1
Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus 2          
Great Tit Parus major 1 1 1 1 1
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus 1 1 1 1 1
Nuthatch Sitta europaea 1 1 1 1 1
Rock Nuthatch Sitta neumayer 2   1   1
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria 2 1 1 1    
Treecreeper Certhia familiaris 2       1  
Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla 2 1 1 1 1 1
Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra 1 1 1 1 1
Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella 1 1 1   1
Rock Bunting Emberiza cia 1 1 1 1 1
Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana 1 1 1 1 1
Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus 1 1 1 1  1
Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala 1 1   1  1  
Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus 1 1 1    
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs 1 1 1 1  1 1
Greenfinch Carduelis chloris 1 1 1 1  1
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 1 1 1 1  1
Linnet Carduelis cannabina 1 1 1 1  1
Serin Serinus serinus 1 1 1 1  1 1
Crossbill Loxia curvirostra 2 1     1  
Siskin Carduelis spinus 2 1   1    
Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula 2     1  
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes 1 1 1 1 1
House Sparrow Passer domesticus 1 1 1 1 1  1
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis 1 1 1 1 1
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus 1 1 1 1 1
Starling Sturnus vulgaris 1 1 1 1 1
Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus 1 1 1 1 1
Jay Garrulus glandarius 1 1 1 1 1
Magpie Pica pica 1 1 1 1 1
Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes 2 1      
Jackdaw Corvus monedula 1 1 1 1 1  1
Rook Corvus frugilegus 1 1 1 1 1
Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix 1 1 1 1 1
Raven Corvus corax 1 1 1 1 1
Overall number of species observed     225 230 224 217  215