Breeding Habitat Characteristics Of Golden Eagle Aquila Chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758), Long-Legged Buzzard Buteo Rufinus (Cretzschmar, 1829) And Peregrine Falcon Falco Peregrinus Tunstall, 1771 In The Balkan Mountain Range, Bulgaria

The territories of three species of birds of prey in the Balkan Mountain Range have been described in terms of habitats and location. Territories of golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758) and peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771 had high degree of woodland and pasture and natural grasslands, while those of the long-legged buzzard Buteo rufinus (Cretzschmar, 1827) exhibited a greater presence of shrubby habitats and arable areas. Territories of the three species in the studied area showed low degree of heterogeneity. Golden eagle and peregrine falcon territories were located at higher elevation and had more complex topography than those of the long-legged buzzard. In the studied area, all three species located their nests on cliffs, preffering dominant position of the nests to the surrounding area. Golden eagle and peregrine falcon showed clear preference for nesting on steep cliffs. Long-legged buzzard tended to nest on more sloping terrains. Golden eagle, long-legged buzzard and peregrine falcon did not exhibit a high degree of conservatism regarding the exposure of the nesting cliffs and this factor was not a leading feature in the selection of nesting site in the studied area. However, the nests in the study area were found mainly on the southern slopes of the Balkan Mountain Range. The long-legged buzzard showed great ecological plasticity in terms of its nesting sites and breeding habitats. This adaptability, along with other factors, may favour the observed range expansion to the north over the past few decades.