Bulgaria 2007: The Vulture Cafe

I went to Bulgaria to visit not only the birds but the people who are doing such heroic work to protect them, in a country that in many ways seems not quite “ready” for conservation. The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds is involved in a wide variety of important projects, including both field work and educational efforts, such as the Vulture Center at Madjorovo.

They don’t actually provide beds for the birds; instead, the center, with excellent exhibits and a small nature shop as well, serves as spartan but clean and inviting housing for volunteers. But the spoon and fork are a promise to both birds and birders: there is a small ground-floor restaurant for humans, and a hilltop feeding station for some of Europe’s rarest raptors.

We set out early on June 10, stopping along the way for a few birds. Our first Spanish Sparrows were at a nest in a Lombardy poplar, and Golden Orioles and Red-rumped Swallows were along the roadsides. As we neared the cliffs of Madjorovo, we began to see Griffon Vultures in the sky, and at the end of our short hike to the viewing point, we found 21 on the carcass of a donkey, bought locally and set out for their dining pleasure.

A close look at this picture will show a couple of Egyptian Vultures at the left edge of the flock, dwarfed by their goose-necked cousins. Not all views were this distant; birds were often right overhead as they approached the feeding station across the valley.

As we prepared to leave, a great black shape flew in from the south, soon followed by two more: Cinereous Vultures! Raising their tails above their rumps, they glided in to feed on the carcass, quickly appropriating the choice positions on the donkey’s already skeletal back. Naturally, my camera batteries had given out at that point, but it was still a tremendous experience to see these vanishing carrion-eaters. The staff at the Vulture Center explained to us (in the excellent English so many Bulgarians have, by the way) that while the species is not known to breed regularly in Bulgaria, birds of the Greek population 60 miles away (!) watch for the Griffons to kettle, then fly up across the border to join them at breakfast.