Life for Falcons

About the project

The project ‘Securing the recovery of the endangered Saker Falcon in Bulgaria and Southern Romania’ is dedicated to the restoration and conservation of the endangered species Falco Cherrug in 28 Natura 2000 areas.
Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds is the coordinating beneficiary of the project in partnership with Green Balkans, Romanian Ornithological Society, Union of Hunters and Anglers in Bulgaria, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian at Academy of Sciences, The Habitat Foundation, and Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen.
The project Securing the recovery of the endangered Saker Falcon in Bulgaria and Southern Romania (LIFE20 NAT/BG/001162) is of 5 years duration and has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.

Our news

Seminar with members of the club of hunters and anglers ‘Diana’ was held in Yambol

May 23, 2023

We celebrated Natura 2000 Day with a trek in Protected area Ponor, part of the Life for Falcons project territory

May 22, 2023

Celebrating Natura 2000 Day with walks in the nature

May 16, 2023

Participants from Bulgarian institutions graduated from the Wildlife Crime Academy

May 12, 2023

Green Balkans team presented the project in an event in Santa Marina Holiday Village in Sozopol

May 09, 2023

A new nesting territory of the Saker Falcon in Bulgaria has been found

May 05, 2023

Life for Falcons project was presented to the international hunter’s community

May 04, 2023

Еxperts from LIFE for Falcons project took part in a training on wildlife crimes investigation

May 03, 2023

The Saker Falcon

The Saker falcon is a large powerful falcon, slightly bigger in size in comparison with the Peregrine falcon. The body length is between 47-55 cm, the wingspan is 105-129 cm; the tail length is 16-26 cm; weight 730-1150g. Sexes have similar plumage but females are ca. 15% larger and 40% heavier than males.
The plumage is brown above and streaked below with a paler head and whitish supercilia (eyebrow). It has a relatively small head on broad-chested, though long and otherwise slender body with long wings and long tail. In flight the silhouette is similar to the Peregrine but is with rather broad wings with blunt tips.

Small mammals

The conservation of the Saker Falcon will rely on multi-sided holistic approach in which breeding and reintroducing small mammals, such as the European Souslik and Romanian Hamster which are key prey species for the falcon, has an important part.