Distribution of the species
This species is found in Europe, parts of Africa and Asia Minor, nesting around the Black and Caspian Seas and Iran. There is an isolated nesting site in Hungary. The most important places in Europe during the autumn migration are the Bosphorus, Batumi and Atanasovsko Lake. The most numerous breeding populations in Europe are found in Greece, Bulgaria, Albania and Romania.
In Bulgaria the species can be found along the rivers Arda, Maritsa, Tundzha, Struma, Danube, their tributaries and on the Black Sea cost. Many of the nesting sites in the country are in the National parks “Central Balkan”, “Rila” and “Pirin”, the Nature parks “Strandzha”, “Vrachanski Balkan”, as well in reserves and protected areas.
Description of the species (biological and ecological features)
In Bulgaria, the Levant sparrowhawk reaches a body length of up to 35 cm and a wingspan of 70 cm. Males are gray at the top and whitish with rusty brown bands at the bottom. They have 6-7 black stripes on their tail, which are missing on the upper side of the middle rudder feathers. The females are gray-brown at the top and whitish with dark brown belts at the bottom. The iris in both sexes is black. In young, the plumage is dark brown and whitish below with a clearly defined stripe on the throat.
Their habitats are usually deciduous forests, groups and single trees in river valleys. During migrations they form flocks. They are soaring species, migrating on a wide front. It feeds on small and medium-sized birds and mammals.
Conservation status
Unknown.
Conservation state
The Levant sparrowhawk is part of the Red Data Book of Bulgaria (2015) with category “Vulnerable” (VU), as well in Annex 2 and 3 of the Biodiversity Act (BDA). This species is included also in Annex I to Directive 2009/147/ EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds.
It is included in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species with category Least Concern (LC).
*Note: For the description of birds is used information from: Golemanski, V. & al. (eds). 2015. Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria. Vol. 2. Animals. BAS & MoEW, Sofia [English ed.: ISBN 978-954-9746-22-8 (IBER – BAS), 978-954-8497-18-3 (MoEW)]; Michev T., D. Simeonov, L. Profirov. 2012. Birds of the Balkan Peninsula. Ecotan, Sofia, 300 pp; the website of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).