Among the adult Cinereous vultures in the Kotlenska mountain, some are already paired up and gradually occupying the artificial nests constructed as part of the “Life for the Black Vulture” project.
The three pairs from 2023 continue to thrive in the same configuration, with an additional two pairs from 2023, who were moving together but have now reached sexual maturity.
6-7 pairs of Cinereous vultures are expected to nest in the Vrachanska mountain in 2024.
Our dedicated team marks and closely monitors the vultures in the Kotel. Their behaviors have been observed and documented through both photographs and videos, thanks to the invaluable contributions of our team and a volunteer from Romania, Cornel Cotorogea. In 2023, we have compiled an almost comprehensive collection of photos featuring both permanent and temporary residents of Cinereous vultures in the Kotel. These photographs play a crucial role in enabling us to identify individual birds, even in the absence of visible markings, relying solely on distinctive patterns on their feathers, akin to fingerprints, or what is referred to as “visual marking” (Stoynov, Peshev et al., 2015). It’s worth noting that many of these markings are temporary, necessitating periodic updates of each individual’s current features through the capture of new photos.
