The 49th mid-winter census of wintering waterfowl will be conducted from 16 to 19 January 2025. The aim is to establish the number of wintering birds in Bulgaria in the most important water bodies and territories for them.

The mid-winter census is carried out within the framework of the National System for Monitoring the Status of Biological Diversity (NSMSBD) and is organized by the Executive Environment Agency (EEA) together with the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), partner organizations, and volunteers.

During the same period, birds will be counted in almost all European countries and the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. In Bulgaria, over 320 wetlands will be covered throughout the country, river basins, including the Danube River and the Black Sea coast, where waterfowl winter.

Detailed information on the data collection methodology can be found on the website of the EEA – http://eea.government.bg/bg/bio/nsmbr/praktichesko-rakovodstvo-metodiki-za-monitoring-i-otsenka/Metodika_monitoring_zimuvashti_ptitsi.pdf

An electronic form for filling in census data can be downloaded from http://eea.government.bg/bg/bio/nsmbr/practical-guidance/ptitsi/ptitsiformszp_21.xls

After the monitoring is concluded, the completed field forms with data from the survey of wetlands in our country will be entered into the Information System of the National Biodiversity Monitoring System. Data from the mid-winter census of wintering waterfowl are reported annually to the international organization for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands - Wetlands International.

The information collected from the census will serve to report on the indicator "Change in the number of wintering waterfowl in Bulgaria" from the National Report on the State and Protection of the Environment in the Republic of Bulgaria, which is published annually. The indicator tracks trends in the number of wintering waterfowl in the country. Information about it is available on the website of the EEA: https://eea.government.bg/bg/soer/2024/5BR.pdf

The census data is also used in the preparation of the national reports under Article 12 of the Birds Directive.

The annual midwinter waterfowl census began in 1967 and is not only one of the oldest but also one of the most important scientific initiatives in the world. It unites the efforts of scientists and citizens in order to monitor the condition of birds and their habitats. Bulgaria actively participated in this initiative for the first time in 1977.