October 16, 2023

Within the LIFE for Falcons project, Green Balkans and the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) organised the International Saker Falcon Conference in Stara Zagora (Bulgaria) from 12 until 15 October 2023. At the conference species experts shared their experiences in Saker Falcon conservation and research.

Over 50 participants from at least 12 countries took part in the conference: Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United States. From The Habitat Foundation Dick Bekker (the Netherlands) participated in the conference.

During the first two days of the conference over 30 presentations were held, concerning conservation activities, research and field activities. For general information and all the presentations of the conference, see https://saveraptors.org/conference. Here, you also find a downloadable version of the Book of Abstracts.

On the third day the participants visited the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Center, where, among other bird species, Saker Falcons are bred, but where also injured birds can be operated.

In the afternoon two sites were visited where Saker Falcons have been released. That afternoon a Common Kestrel and a Buzzard from the Rehabilitation Centre were released.