Penguin Travel

In Spring 2007 with the support of Penguin Travel Bulgaria 100 nestboxes were placed in North-Western Bulgaria. The nestboxes were designed primariliy for the Europeant Scops Owl (Otus scops) - a charismatic but poorly studied, small nocturnal predator. Its main breeding habitats are riverine forests, which experience threatening decimation in Bulgaria. Using nestboxes we not only support the local Scops Owl population but can establish whether the forest decimation forces more owls to abandon breeding or occupy artificial nestboxes, because they are depleted of old trees with natural woodpecker holes. The easy access to the nestboxes allows also to reveal many important aspects of the biology and life history of this cryptic bird, such as impact of diverse parasites and predators on the owls' reproduction and survival. The project continues in 2008 with more nextboxes placed in the South-Western Bulgaria, helped again by Penguin Travel, who provides vehicles and volunteers for the ongoing activities.

http://www.birdwatchingbulgaria.com