Nest guarding of Egyptian vultures for 2014

26.08.2014

Home
Useful information
Nest guarding of Egyptian vultures for 2014

The nest guarding of the globally threatened Egyptian vultures finished successfully. Over 30 volunteers took part in the activity, including people from foreign countries, such as Canada, Lithuania and the United States. This year, the nest guarding in Bulgaria was realized thanks to a successful fundraising campaign.

Twenty four pairs nest this summer in Bulgaria, 18 of them successfully raised 26 juveniles. Twenty three pairs were known until the last month when another pair in the Eastern Rhodopes was confirmed. The volunteers have guarded 20 of the juveniles, monitored the nests and provided food for the birds.

Respectively, eight pairs nest in Greece, five of them successfully raised six juveniles. The volunteers have guarded four nests and provided food for the birds. In Dadia the nests were guarded by the EVS volunteers of WWF Greece.

August is one of the most critical months for the young Egyptian vultures, since this is the month of their first flight and they often fail with it. Therefore it is better to have someone who monitors what is happening in the nest during daytime and intervenes if needed. The only tragic case with dead birds for this year is in a nest in the Eastern Rhodopes, thrown down by a strong storm.

For third consecutive year over 10 nests of Egyptian vultures were guarded within the LIFE+ project “The return of the Neophron”. In 2012 and 2013, thanks to nest guarding four young birds were saved in Bulgaria after their unsuccessful first flight. This is about 10 % of the average annual number of young in nests.

The project provided funding for nest guarding for the first two years, and from 2014 onwards the activity is planned to be funded through donations.

We are grateful to the donors and volunteers, thanks to which the nest guarding of the Egyptian vulture for this year completed successfully!