The importance of political, economic, and cultural factors in explaining fundamental ornithological problems (A case study from Bulgaria)
Part II. The Old World vultures (Gypaetinae Vieillot, 1816, Aegypiinae Sclater, W. L., 1924 – Accipitriformes Vieillot, 1816)
Wolfgang Baumgart1, Zlatozar N. Boev2*
1 – 13435 Berlin, Guhllener Zeile 9A, Germany
2 – National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences,
1, Blvd. Tsar Osvoboditel, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
*E-mail: boev@nmnhs.com, zlatozarboev@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8049-7509
Abstract. The importance of political, economic and cultural factors/developments in explaining fundamental ornithological problems, one of which is the existence of vultures, is analyzed, with a special emphasis on Bulgaria. Over the past 150 years, Bulgaria has undergone a variety of political, economic, and cultural upheavals that have had a direct or indirect impact on bird life, offering surprising new solutions to the problems associated with the vulture species. The religious characteristics of the population, the organization of veterinary services, changes in animal husbandry, the distribution and extermination of wolves as important factors for the existence of vultures in Bulgaria have been analyzed along with electrocution mortality, poisonings, and mortality during migration.
Keywords: Balkan avifauna, European vultures, Human impact on bird distribution, Recent birds of Bulgaria, Species range decline
