Black Storks Spotted Between the Villages of Pŭdarevo and Mokren near Kotel

A pair of black storks have been sighted in the area between the villages of Pudarevo and Mokren, Kotel municiplaity (Eastern Bulgaria). The birds were observed by local residents as well as by travelers in buses and cars passing through the area.

The black stork is protected under Bulgaria’s Biodiversity Act and is listed in the country’s Red Data Book. It is rarely seen in Bulgaria and is considered threatened species.

For years, the residents of Pŭdarevo have been among the first in the Kotel municipality to welcome these heralds of spring, as noted in a Facebook post by Kotel Mayor Kosta Karanashev. This year, the storks returned from warmer countries to the village in March.

Photo by Tsvetan Ganchev