Biodiversity Literature Repository

Submit to community
Liberated Data
Published October 31, 2025 | Version v1
Journal article Open

Rehabilitation and release of White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Bulgaria: A case study

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Trakia Univeristy, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria|Green Balkans – Stara Zagora NGO, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
  • 2. Trakia Univeristy, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
  • 3. Green Balkans – Stara Zagora NGO, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
  • 4. Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/ BirdLife Bulgaria, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 5. Agricultural University Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria|Green Balkans – Stara Zagora NGO, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Description

The White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) is a top predator and may serve as an indicator of environmental health. The species is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. As of 2020, the population of White-tailed Eagles in Bulgaria was estimated at 43-60 breeding pairs. Conservation efforts were undertaken in the country, including rescue, rehabilitation and release of birds back into the wild. Soft release was used for the first time in Bulgaria for White-tailed Eagles at two different locations: Karandila in Sinite Kamani Nature Park (Sliven Region) and near Potochnitsa Village (Kardzhali Region). The current study tracks the rehabilitation of four immature eagles tagged with GPS-GSM transmitters, their adaptive capacity and the success of their release back into their natural environment.

Files

BDJ_article_167730.pdf

Files (928.6 kB)

Name Size Download all
md5:e835f28c20966de87d6225c408618f58
851.5 kB Preview Download
md5:f33342c6cbeda3b81fb83e8f23399aab
77.0 kB Preview Download

Linked records

Additional details

Cites
Publication: 10.1007/s10344-021-01482-6 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.02.029 (DOI)
Publication: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22695137A166294180.en (DOI)
Publication: 10.1007/s00300-020-02769-1 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1007/s13280-018-1052-9 (DOI)
Publication: 10.15244/pjoes/85223 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1002/eap.2544 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1007/698_2015_367 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2013.10.020 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1002/ece3.8856 (DOI)
Publication: 10.3390/d16030145 (DOI)
Publication: 10.1177/17581559221107083 (DOI)
Publication: 10.3356/jrr2417 (DOI)
Publication: 10.3356/0892-1016-54.2.166 (DOI)
Has part
Figure: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e167730.figure5 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e167730.figure1 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e167730.figure3 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e167730.figure4 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e167730.figure6 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e167730.figure2 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e167730.figure7 (DOI)
Figure: 10.3897/BDJ.13.e167730.figure8 (DOI)
Figure: https://zenodo.org/record/17505474 (URL)
Figure: https://zenodo.org/record/17505466 (URL)
Figure: https://zenodo.org/record/17505470 (URL)
Figure: https://zenodo.org/record/17505472 (URL)
Figure: https://zenodo.org/record/17505476 (URL)
Figure: https://zenodo.org/record/17505468 (URL)
Figure: https://zenodo.org/record/17505478 (URL)
Figure: https://zenodo.org/record/17505480 (URL)

References

  • Balotari-Chiebao F, Brommer J, Tikkanen H, Laaksonen T (2021) Habitat use by post-fledging white-tailed eagles shows avoidance of human infrastructure and agricultural areas. European Journal of Wildlife Research 67 (3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-021-01482-6
  • Bernardino J, Bevanger K, Barrientos R, Dwyer J, Marques A, Martins R, Shaw J, Silva J, Moreira F (2018) Bird collisions with power lines: State of the art and priority areas for research. Biological Conservation 222 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.02.029
  • Bevanger K, Berntsen F, S C, Dahl E, Flagstad Ø, Follestad A, Halley D, Hanssen F, Johnsen L, Kvaløy P, Lund-Hoel P, May R, Nygård T, Pedersen H, Reitan O, Røskaft E, Steinheim Y, Stokke B, Vang R (2010) Pre- and post-construction studies of conflicts between birds and wind turbines in coastal Norway (Bird-Wind). Report on findings 2007–2010. NINA Report 620, Trondheim, Norway.
  • Birdlife International (2004) Birds in Europe. Population estimates, trends and conservation status. 12. BirdLife Conservation Series, Cambridge, 374 pp.
  • BirdLife International (2021a) Haliaeetus albicilla (Europe assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T22695137A166294180. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22695137A166294180.en
  • BirdLife International (2021b) Species factsheet: White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla. https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/white-tailed-sea-eagle-haliaeetus-albicilla
  • Chavko J (2024) Správy pracovných skupín za rok 2023. Orliak morský (Haliaeetus albicilla). Dravce a Sovy 20: 18‑19.
  • Cheshmedzhiev S, Shurulinkov P, Daskalova G (2019) Status and distribution of diurnal birds of prey and the Black Stork along the Bulgarian section of the Danube River. In: Shurulinkov P, et al. (Ed.) Biodiversity of the Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Lower Danube. Nova Publishers, New York.
  • Chesmedjiev S, Demerdzhiev D (2020) White-tailed eagle. Atlas of nesting birds in Bulgaria. https://atlas.bspb.org/en/species/white-tailed-eagle/
  • Csermely D (2000) Rehabilitation of birds of prey and their survival after release. A review. In: Lumeij J, Remple J, Redig P, Lierz M, Cooper J (Eds) Raptor Biomedicine III Including a Bibliography of Diseases of Birds of Prey. Zoological Education Network, Inc., Lake Worth, FL, USA.
  • Demerdzhiev D, Stoychev S, Petrov T, Angelov I, Nedyalkov N (2009) Impact of Power Lines on Bird Mortality in Southern Bulgaria. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 61 (2): 175‑183.
  • Ekblad C, Tikkanen H, Sulkava S, Laaksonen T (2020) Diet and breeding habitat preferences of White-tailed Eagles in a northern inland environment. Polar Biology 43 (12): 2071‑2084. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-020-02769-1
  • Högmander J, Lokki H, Laaksonen T, Stjernberg T (2020) The Finnish White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla population no longer endangered. Linnut-vuosikirja60‑71.
  • Isomursu M, Koivusaari J, Stjernberg T, Hirvelä-Koski V, Venäläinen E (2018) Lead poisoning and other human-related factors cause significant mortality in white-tailed eagles. Ambio 47: 858‑868. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-018-1052-9
  • Ivanov B, Georgiev D, Dimitrov M, Barov B (2014) White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (Linnaeus, 1758). In: Golemanski V, et al. (Ed.) Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria. Vol. 2. Animals. IBER-BAS & MOEW, Sofia. [In Bulgarian].
  • Kiss B, Alexe V, Doroşencu A, Marinov M, Sándor A (2013) Situaţia actuală şi preferinţele faţă de locurile de cuibărit ale codalbului (Haliaeetus albicilla) în Delta Dunării (România). Revista de Silvicultură şi Cinegetică. Anul XVIII 32[In Romanian].
  • Komosa M, Włodarek J, Frąckowiak H, Zdun M, Charuta A, Gogulski M, Mizera T (2018) Osseous pathological changes in the White-Tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in its Central European Habitat. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies 28 (2): 701‑708. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/85223
  • Kostadinova I (1997) Important Bird Areas in Bulgaria. BSPB, Sofia. [In Bulgarian].
  • Martell M, Goggin J, Redig P (2000) Assessing rehabilitation success of raptors through band returns. In: Lumeij J, Remple J, Redig P, Lierz M, Cooper J (Eds) Raptor biomedicine III: Including a bibliography of diseases of birds of prey. Zoological Education Network, Inc., Lake Worth, FL, USA.
  • Millsap BA, Zimmerman GS, Kendall WL, Barnes JG, Braham MA, Bedrosian BE, Bell DA, Bloom PH, Crandall RH, Domenech R, Driscoll D, Duerr AE, Gerhardt R, Gibbs SE, Harmata AR, Jacobson K, Katzner TE, Knight RN, Lockhart JM, McIntyre C, Murphy RK, Slater SJ, Smith BW, Smith JP, Stahlecker DW, Watson JW (2022) Age-specific survival rates, causes of death, and allowable take of Golden Eagles in the Western United States. Ecological Applications 32 (3): e2544. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2544
  • Mirmigkou S, de Boer J (2015) DDT and metabolites. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry355‑378. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2015_367
  • O'Rourke E (2014) The reintroduction of the White-tailed Sea Eagle to Ireland: People and wildlife. Land Use Policy 38: 129‑137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2013.10.020
  • Panter C, Allen S, Backhouse N, Mullineaux E, Rose C, Amar A (2022) Causes, temporal trends, and the effects of urbanization on admissions of wild raptors to rehabilitation centers in England and Wales. Ecology and Evolution 12 (e8856). https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8856
  • Probst R, Gaborik A (2011) Action plan for the conservation of the White-Tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) along the Danube. Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Strasbourg, France, 20 October 2011.
  • Probst R, Pichler C (2017) The White-tailed Eagle in Austria: Distribution and numbers, productivity, and migration. In The Collection of Abstracts and Short Notes of the Seaeagle 2017 Conference. https://www.kotkas.ee/seaeagle2017/files/WTSE2017_abstracts-and-short-notes.pdf
  • Probst R, Schmidt M, McGrady M, Pichler C (2024) GPS tracking reveals the White-Tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla as an ambassador for the Natura 2000 Network. Diversity 16 (145). https://doi.org/10.3390/d16030145
  • Rozsypalová L, Rymešová D, Stýblo P, Literák I (2022) Causes of admission and outcomes of Whitetailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla in wildlife rescue centers in the Czech Republic during 2010–2020. Avian Biology Research 15: 125‑132. https://doi.org/10.1177/17581559221107083
  • Rozsypalová L, Literák I, Raab R, Reske L, Krone O, Skrabal J, Gries B, Meyburg B (2024) Survival of White-tailed Eagles tracked after rehabilitation and release. Journal of Raptor Research 59 (1). https://doi.org/10.3356/jrr2417
  • Sarasola J, Galmes M, Watts B (2020) Electrocution on power lines is an important threat for the endangered Chaco Eagle (Buteogallus coronatus) in Argentina. Journal of Raptor Research 54 (2): 166‑171. https://doi.org/10.3356/0892-1016-54.2.166
  • Simeonov S, Michev T, Nankinov D (1990) Fauna of Bulgaria. BAS, Sofia. [In Bulgarian].
  • Stjernberg T, Koivusaari J, Högmander J, Ollila T, Ekblom H (2007) Population trends and breeding success of the White-tailed Sea Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla in Finland 1970–2005. In: Status of raptor populations in eastern Fennoscandia: proceedings of the workshop. Status of raptor populations in eastern Fennoscandia, Kostomuksha, Karelia, Russia, November 8-10, 2005.
  • Todorov E, Daskalova G, Shurulinkov P (2015) Current Breeding Distribution and Conservation of White-tailed Eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla (L.) in Bulgaria. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 67 (1): 3‑1.