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Saker falcons and imperial eagles in Bulgaria's mountains

Eastern imperial eagle
Eastern imperial eagle

Two magnificent birds of prey – the saker falcon and imperial eagle – once soared widely over the mountains and plateaux of Bulgaria.

Today, habitat loss, egg collecting and the falconry trade have nearly wiped out both species from Bulgaria. The RSPB, with its sister organisation the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BirdLife Bulgaria), is fighting to save them.

The BBC's Saving Planet Earth wildlife fund is helping to raise funds for the falcons' and eagles' survival and you can help by making a donation!

The saker falcon is found across eastern Europe and Russia, and as far as western China, but its global numbers have plummeted by around 60% between 1990 and 2003. It is now perilously close to being extinct in Bulgaria.

Both species are under continued threat of egg theft and disturbance from sport enthusiasts and tourists who damage their nesting sites

The physique of this large falcon is well adapted to hunting on the open terrain of the Eurasian steppe lands: high, grassy plateaux and mountains. It accelerates rapidly and manoeuvres deftly to capture rodents such as ground squirrels and birds for its prey. These powerful attributes have also made the saker falcon one of the most valuable birds in the illegal wildlife trade.

The imperial eagle is found across central and eastern Europe but its population has declined rapidly in recent years; in Bulgaria, only 18 pairs remain. Once a bird of the lowlands, it has increasingly moved to the uplands to escape human persecution and the loss of suitable forest habitats; it needs tall trees in which to build its nest or eyrie.

Like the saker falcon, the imperial eagle feeds on small mammals such as ground squirrels, although these are becoming scarcer. One of Europe's largest and most impressive eagles, its rarity and size have made it a target for illegal egg collectors.

Both species are under continued threat of egg theft and disturbance from sport enthusiasts and tourists who damage their nesting sites. Meanwhile, the ongoing intensification of agriculture is removing environmentally-rich areas of countryside where they could otherwise prosper.

BirdLife Bulgaria, with the support of the RSPB, is working hard to set up nest-guarding schemes to protect the precious few saker falcon and imperial eagle nests that remain in Bulgaria.

Over time, with the financial support of the Saving Planet Earth Fund and others, the organisation hopes to build nesting platforms for the eagles and falcons, away from areas of human disturbance. BirdLife Bulgaria is also working actively with the Bulgarian government and other agencies to secure legal protection for Bulgaria's wildlife-rich steppe habitat – one of the least protected habitats on Earth.

Last but not least, BirdLife Bulgaria has a long task ahead in raising public awareness of the threats to these fantastic birds of prey and the opportunity to save them.

Last modified: 03 July 2007

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The RSPB and the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BirdLife Bulgaria) are delighted that donations to the BBC's Saving Planet Earth wildlife fund will benefit this conservation project.

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