email a friend
printable version
BG009
Zlatiata
Location Bulgaria, Montana
Central coordinates 23o 37.93' East  43o 42.28' North
IBA criteria B2, B3, C6
Area 43,494 ha
Altitude 29 - 175m
Year of IBA assessment 2005

Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds



Ornithological information This is one of the most important nesting colonies of Merops apiaster in the country.

Site description Man-made cliffs of loess at the western end of the Zlatia plateau in north-western Bulgaria, surrounded by steppe-like habitats and scrub. Ailanthus covers part of the loess walls. Ownership of the IBA may be communal but this is uncertain. Human activities include sheep-grazing and loess excavation in small quantities.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Common Quail Coturnix coturnix breeding  2004  330-1,490 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
White Stork Ciconia ciconia breeding  2004  66 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus breeding  1997  30-38 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Near Threatened 
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus resident  1998  8 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus resident  1998  12 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes breeding  2005  4 breeding pairs  good  C6  Least Concern 
European Roller Coracias garrulus breeding  1998  24-130 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Near Threatened 
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster breeding  2005  325-2,280 breeding pairs  medium  B2  Least Concern 
Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus resident  1998  134-1,230 breeding pairs  medium  B3, C6  Least Concern 
Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor breeding  1998  95-200 breeding pairs  good  B2, C6  Least Concern 
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla breeding  2004  11-108 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis resident  2005  39,100-56,640 breeding pairs  good  B2  Least Concern 
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris breeding  2004  38-130 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 
Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana breeding  2004  950 breeding pairs  medium  C6  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Kozlodui - BG0000527 Habitats Directive 125 protected area contained by site 125  
Reka Ogosta - BG0000614 Habitats Directive 1,253 protected area overlaps with site 168  
Tzibar - BG0000199 Habitats Directive 2,972 protected area overlaps with site 156  
Zlatiata - BG0002009 Birds Directive 43,494 is identical to site 43,494  
Zlatiya - BG0000336 Habitats Directive 3,195 protected area contained by site 3,195  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Rocky areas Inland cliffs  100%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
urban/industrial/transport -

Management considerations There are no serious threats to this site.

Protection status National None International None

Contribute  Please click here to help BirdLife conserve the world's birds - your data for this IBA and others are vital for helping protect the environment.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Zlatiata. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife