Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds

The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB; Bulgarian: Българско дружество за защита на птиците, БДЗП) is a Bulgarian non-governmental organisation specialising in the conservation of wild birds and biodiversity. It was founded on 3 June 1988 and is recognised as the first civil nature-conservation organisation in modern Bulgarian history. Since 1992 it has been the Bulgarian partner of BirdLife International, and it is the largest biodiversity conservation NGO in the country. BSPB is a grassroots organisation with members and local groups across Bulgaria, and it is known for a science-based approach to conservation. Its mission covers the protection of wild birds, their habitats and important bird areas, as well as broader biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods. It manages nature conservation centres and was the first NGO in Bulgaria to manage a Ramsar-registered site. The organisation's origins are linked to the drastic decline of raptors caused by widespread poisoning of carnivores in the Balkans. In Bulgaria, state-led campaigns to exterminate predators from 1958 to 1970, continuing until around 1990, devastated vulture populations. Griffon vultures were pushed to near extinction, Bearded vultures disappeared from the Balkans, and Cinereous vultures were declared extinct in most Balkan countries by the 1980s. Conservationists and scientists began acting in the 1980s, including supplementary feeding in the Eastern Rhodopes from 1984, which became the prehistory of BSPB. BSPB was established on 3 June 1988, during the communist era under Todor Zhivkov, when civil-society organisations were severely restricted. The founders — scientists, university professors and bird enthusiasts — presented their work as scientific and educational to survive politically. After the 1989 democratic changes, the organisation expanded internationally, launched its Important Bird Area programme in 1991, and became a BirdLife International partner in 1992. Today BSPB works on species and habitat conservation, monitoring, legal and policy contributions, and international flyway conservation. It has led or participated in major projects for vultures, the Eastern Imperial Eagle, falcons and the Red-breasted Goose, and it contributed to the identification of Natura 2000 bird areas in Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) was founded on 3 June 1988, during the one-party rule of the Bulgarian Communist Party under Todor Zhivkov, when independent civil-society organisations were effectively not permitted. It is recognised as the first civil nature-conservation organisation in modern Bulgarian history. The founders were scientists, university professors and bird enthusiasts who wanted to move from discussion to practical bird conservation. They adopted a strategy of presenting their work as politically neutral scientific and educational activity, which allowed the organisation to survive under socialism. The immediate context was the catastrophic decline of raptors in the Balkans caused by large-scale poisoning of carnivores such as wolves, stray dogs, foxes and jackals. In Bulgaria, state-led "organised and planned predator extermination campaigns" ran especially from 1958 to 1970 and the practice continued until around 1990. Poison baits devastated scavenging vultures: Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) were pushed to virtual extinction in Bulgaria, Bearded vultures (Gypaetus barbatus) disappeared completely from the Balkans, and Cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) were declared extinct in the 1980s in almost all Balkan countries, with only 30–35 pairs remaining in Greece's Dadia National Park. Egyptian vulture numbers in the Balkans fell from about 600 pairs in the 1980s to fewer than 60 pairs by 2019. Conservationists and scientists had already begun acting in the 1980s, including supplementary feeding in the Eastern Rhodopes from 1984, which became the prehistory of BSPB. Bulgaria lies on the ancient Roman road Via Pontica, which runs north along the western Black Sea coast from Byzantium (present-day Istanbul). The area around the Gulf of Burgas is a scientifically important concentration point for migratory birds, and this ecological importance encouraged Bulgarian ornithologists to organise. After the democratic changes of 10 November 1989, when Todor Zhivkov was removed in a party coup, civil-society activity was liberalised and BSPB could freely build international partnerships. In 1991 it launched its Important Bird Area (IBA) programme, and in 1992 it was officially recognised as the Bulgarian partner of BirdLife International — the second BirdLife partner in Eastern Europe after Hungary. The transition period also brought economic disruption and funding shortages, requiring the organisation to develop international fundraising. From the 1990s onward BSPB expanded its science-based conservation work. In 1997 it opened Bulgaria's first nature conservation centres, at Poda near Burgas and in the Eastern Rhodopes near Madzharovo; the Poda protected area also became the first Ramsar-registered site managed by BSPB. In 1997 it carried out Bulgaria's first radio-tracking of an animal species (the Corncrake). In 2004 it began the first action plans for endangered species and a national bird monitoring programme. In 2007 it published the Atlas of Breeding Birds in Bulgaria, establishing an academic foundation for bird conservation in the country. BSPB also contributed to legislation. It was professionally involved in drafting Bulgaria's Protected Areas Act and was officially asked by the Minister of Environment and Water to draft the framework of the Bulgarian Biodiversity Act. It proposed adding the Semi-collared Flycatcher and the Masked Shrike to the EU Birds Directive species list, which led to new Natura 2000 designations across their range countries. After Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, the IBA results became a basis for the Natura 2000 network, and BSPB was commissioned by the Bulgarian government to identify bird areas for Natura 2000. Vulture conservation in the Eastern Rhodopes is among BSPB's most emblematic efforts. Starting from volunteer supplementary feeding, the Griffon Vulture programme helped the Bulgarian population recover from a few pairs to more than 100 pairs by 2020. BSPB has also worked on Cinereous and Egyptian vultures; from 2024 to 2029 it is leading a Cinereous Vulture restoration project with a total budget of EUR 4.16 million under the European Commission's LIFE programme, reintroducing birds transferred from Spain to the Rhodopes. For the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), BSPB worked with electricity companies to insulate power lines and bury cables, greatly reducing electrocution deaths. In an EU LIFE project from 2009 to 2013, 595 pylons were made safe and no deaths occurred near seven Imperial Eagle nests. By 2020 the Bulgarian Imperial Eagle population reached a record level. Internationally, BSPB works through BirdLife International and the African-Eurasian Flyway Initiative, contributing to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA). One of its most ambitious flyway projects concerns the Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis), which breeds in the Russian Arctic on the Taimyr Peninsula and winters on the Black Sea coast. The "LIFE for Safe Flight" project from 2017 to 2023 involved 11 organisations from Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan and covered almost 100% of the species' global population.

• 2024

  Cinereous Vulture restoration project begins under LIFE, running to 2029 with a EUR 4.16 million budget.

• 2020

  Griffon Vulture population in Bulgaria exceeds 100 pairs; Eastern Imperial Eagle population reaches record level.

• 2019

  Nikolai "Nicky" Petkov receives the Whitley Award.

• 2018

  Irina Kostadinova honoured as a "European Hero" by the European Commission.

• 2017

  "LIFE for Safe Flight" Red-breasted Goose project begins, involving five countries.

• 2014

  Eastern Imperial Eagle and falcon conservation project wins the Natura 2000 Award and EU Best LIFE Project Award.

• 2009

  Emil Todorov receives the Whitley Award for conservation of the Lower Danube.

• 2007

  Published the Atlas of Breeding Birds in Bulgaria; Bulgaria joins the EU and Natura 2000 work expands.

• 2004

  First action plans for endangered species and national bird monitoring programme launched.

• 1997

  Opened Bulgaria's first nature conservation centres at Poda and in the Eastern Rhodopes; first radio-tracking of an animal species in Bulgaria.

• 1992

  Recognised as the Bulgarian partner of BirdLife International.

• 1991

  Important Bird Area (IBA) programme launched.

• 1989

  Democratic changes begin after Todor Zhivkov is removed on 10 November; BSPB can expand internationally.

• 1988

  BSPB founded on 3 June, the first civil nature-conservation organisation in modern Bulgarian history.

• 1984

  Supplementary feeding of Bearded Vultures and other raptors begins in the Eastern Rhodopes, a precursor to BSPB.

Science-based, grassroots biodiversity conservation NGO and BirdLife International partner in Bulgaria.

• Important Bird Area (IBA) programme

  Survey and identification of important bird areas in Bulgaria, launched in 1991 and used as a basis for Natura 2000.

• Poda Nature Conservation Centre

  Opened in 1997 near Burgas; the Poda protected area was the first Ramsar site managed by BSPB.

• Eastern Rhodopes Nature Conservation Centre

  Opened in 1997 near Madzharovo, supporting vulture conservation in the Eastern Rhodopes.

• Atlas of Breeding Birds in Bulgaria

  Published in 2007, establishing an academic foundation for bird conservation in Bulgaria.

• Vulture conservation programmes

  Programmes for Griffon, Cinereous and Egyptian vultures, including supplementary feeding and reintroduction.

• Eastern Imperial Eagle conservation

  Work with electricity companies to insulate power lines and reduce electrocution deaths.

• Red-breasted Goose flyway conservation

  International project covering almost 100% of the species' global population across five countries.

1. 1БДЗП - Защита на птиците - birds.bgbspb.org
2. 2Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3ブルガリア鳥類保護協会 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org