Second edition of the Hunter’s Guide have been published by BSPB and UHAB

The second edition of the Hunter’s Guide, prepared by the BSPB and UHAB have been published. The hunters could obtain it during the events in the calendar of the Union, read its digital version on the Life for Falcons website or to download it as a pdf from the website of the Union.

The aim of the edition is to support the hunters in quicker and safer recognition of the game. It emphasizes not only on the significance of proper determination of the bird, but also on how this to be done as fast as possible. The description of the 68 species of birds in the Guide focus on the features which could allow for the reliable determination in a matter of seconds.
Birds in the texts are divided for convenience in three groups, designated with different colours: hunting species, protected species similar to the hunting species and diurnal raptors and diurnal raptors. In addition to the key features for the determination of the birds the guide includes also drawings of male and female and juvenile and adult individuals, and of a flying and perched birds.

The pocket size of the edition is designed for the maximum comfort on the field.
Last but not least, the Guide has an useful reference part with information about the protected and hunting species, SmartBirds application, ethical standards of behavior towards birds and nature, time periods and rates for hunting, and important phone numbers of organizations and institutions.

The partnership between BSPB and UHAB in the publishing of this Guide is part of the long collaboration between the environmental organizations and the hunters. The Society works with them since the very beginning of its existence – first in personal and later in an organizational level. Bulgaria is the first country in Europe with the Cooperation of Agreement between a hunting and an environmental organization – an example of modern thinking and attitude toward nature.

The existing relation between hunting and nature conservation gives the opportunity for the hunters to have major contributions to different activities, such as:
-    Submitting data for protected bird species, nests found, different threats and poaching activities;
-    Participating in some of the monitoring schemes of BSPB – common bird monitoring, midwinter waterbird census, monitoring of protected areas, etc.
-    Reporting for findings of dead, harmed or distressed birds from protected species on 112 emergency line. 
-    Reporting to the Bulgarian ornithological center for dead birds with ornithological ring found in the nature.
     
The time spend in the nature offer lots of opportunities for interesting observations, which could be the hunters’ contribution for the preservation of the birds in Bulgaria. This edition is the another one of the succession of activities in the conservation of the Saker falcon – a rare and endangered species.

The second edition of the Hunter's guide is published as part of the activities of the project Securing the recovery of the endangered Saker Falcon in Bulgaria and Southern Romania (LIFE20 NAT/BG/001162), funded from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.