site.btaFirst Nest with Two Lesser Spotted Eaglets Found in Bulgaria

A team of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) recorded a nest with two lesser spotted eagle chicks in it for the first time in Bulgaria. The successful nesting of two chicks is extremely rare for this species, as the parents are usually able to raise only one.

The two eaglets were observed during the regular monitoring of lesser spotted eagle nests conducted within the LIFE for Eagle's Habitats project, in Northeastern Bulgaria.

Studies in Central and Northern Europe show that only 1.5 to 3.5% of the species' nesting attempts result in two successfully fledged chicks. Having two chicks hatch is not a rarity, however, the smaller one usually dies within 10-15 days after hatching.

BSPB expert Mihail Iliev, who discovered this nest in 2021, said that the two chicks are one month old, which makes it likely that both will reach adulthood and soar through the skies of Bulgaria. The BSPB will continue to monitor the nest in the upcoming weeks.

Conservation of the lesser spotted eagle depends a lot on proper forest management, which is the reason the BSPB works in partnership with the Executive Forest Agency to guarantee the natural habitat of numerous species: from the tit to the Eurasian treecreeper.