Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicus Linnaeus, 1758
Calamophilus biarmicus Leach.: Dimitrov, 1909: 119.
Order Passeriformes
Family Timaliidae
Conservation status: in Bulgaria: Endangered EN [B2a+B2c+C2a(i)+C2b], BDA-III; International: BeC-II.
General distribution. A Palearctic species with a scattered breeding area embracing the whole of Eurasia (from England to Japan). The northern border is from the Netherlands through Poland, Lithuania, the Northern Black Sea coast and Kazakhstan to Hokkaido island. In the south it reaches the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, Iran, Central Asia and China [1]. In Europe breeding populations exist in most countries, with more considerable numbers in Romania, Russia, Austria, etc. [2].
Distribution and abundance in Bulgaria. A breeding summer visitor and wintering species. In the past it breeded in Srebarna Lake and along the Black Sea coast [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. At present it breeds in less than 10 breeding places along the Black Sea coast: Durankulak Lake [8], Shabla Lake [9], Atanasovsko Ezero lake [10], Pomoriysko Ezero lake and the Poda locality [8] and along the valley of the Danube [11]. Within the country it breeds irregularly in water basins with a small area along the Vit River, a reservoir near the village of Dragomirovo, an old river bed of the Iskar River near the village of Orehovitsa, along the Osam River, etc. [11]. The total numbers in the country are between 250 and 600 pairs [12]. Outside the multiplication period it is found in different lakes, marshes, swamps, fish farms and other water basins with reedbeds.
Habitats. Marshes, swamps, lakes and mouths of rivers, abundantly overgrown with reed.
Biology. It breeds amongst reed and other marsh/swamp vegetation, sometimes in thin colonies. Both birds take part in the building of the nest and the breeding of the young ones. It lays between 4 – 8 (rarely 3 – 11) eggs once or twice a year. Incubation usually continues for about 11 – 12 days [1, 13]. The food basically consists of insects and their larvae.
Similar species. None.
Negative factors. Unknown, most probably destruction and degradation of the habitats.
Conservation measures taken. Protected according to the Biological Diversity Act. Included in the Red Data Book of Bulgaria (1985). Some of the breeding places are in protected territories along the Black Sea coast (Durankulak Lake, Shabla Lake, Atanasovsko Ezero lake).
Conservation measures needed. Study of the factors that have a negative impact on the numbers of the breeding populations.
References. 1. Nankinov, 1985; 2. Gosler, Mogyorosi, 1997; 3. Reiser, 1894; 4. Petrov, Zlatanov, 1955; 5. Konigstedt, Robel, 1977; 6. Hubalek, 1978; 7. Nankinov, Darakchiev, 1977; 8. Iankov, 1996; 9. Ivanov, 1998; 10. Michev et al., 2004; 11. Shurulinkov et al., 2005; 12. Iankov, in press; 13. Cramp, Perrins (Eds), 1993.
Author: Nevena Kambourova, Boris Nikolov
