127
Nove knjige
New books
Iankov, P. (ed.) (2007): Atlas of Breeding Birds in 
Bulgaria. Conservation Series, Book 10. – Bulgarian 
Society for the Protection of Birds, Sofia. pp. 679.
The	atlas	is	the	first	ever	breeding	atlas	of	the	whole	
country	 to	be	produced	by	Bulgarian	ornithologists.	
And	 there	 is	 no	 doubt	 that	 they	 can	 proudly	 put	 it	
side	 by	 side	 with	 the	 ornithological	 atlases	 of	 other	
nations.	
It	consists	of	a	very	detailed	introduction	section,	which	
comprehensively	presents	 technical	 and	geographical	
terms,	 main	 goals	 and	 purpose	 of	 the	 atlas,	 history	
of	atlases	in	Bulgaria,	methods,	species	accounts	and	
overview	of	results.	
Species	 accounts	 are	 very	detailed	 and	 leave	 little	 to	
be	 desired.	 The	 categories	 of	 conservation	 concern	
for	 Bulgaria,	 Europe	 and	 globally	 are	 presented,	 as	
well	as	species’	legal	status,	estimated	population	size,	
estimated	trends,	distribution	pattern,	density	pattern,	
historical	changes,	habitats	and	altitudinal	range.	The	
atlas	is	completely	bilingual	(Bulgarian	and	English),	
which	greatly	facilitates	the	understanding	of	a	non-
native	reader.	Two	maps	are	presented:	one	concerns	
distribution,	 with	 circles	 in	 UTM	 squares	 denoting	
possible,	probable	and	confirmed	breeding,	while	the	
other	denotes	the	estimated	number	of	pairs	 in	each	
UTM	square.	An	illustration	is	added	to	each	species	
account	at	a	high	artistic	 level.	The	book	as	a	whole	
is	very	thoroughly	produced	and	gives	 impression	of	
a	 strong	 editors’	 hand.	The	 texts	 are	 excellent,	 very	
informative	 and	 extremely	 detailed	 especially	 in	 the	
part	describing	historical	 changes	 in	 the	population.	
The	charts,	too,	are	very	clearly	made.	All	the	breeding	
species	 in	 Bulgaria	 are	 presented,	 including	 extinct	
(with	historical	records)	and	introduced	species	whose	
background	 is	 additionally	 explained.	The	 atlas	 also	
has	 a	 function	 of	 historical	 comparison	 with	 the	
mentioned	detailed	accounts	of	historical	background.	
The	 editorial	 board	 covered	 all	 the	 major	 scientific	
institutions	in	Bulgaria	(academic	and	university).
If	 I	 were	 to	 point	 out	 any	 weaknesses	 of	 this	
magnificent	book,	I	would	mention	the	not	so	clear	
numbers	(density)	charts.	Since	they	have	no	legend,	
it	is	difficult	to	find	out	the	scale	(numbers	range)	of	
different	sizes	of	squares.	Moreover,	the	methodology	
is	 difficult	 to	 find	 in	 the	 voluminous	 introductory	
section.	The	maps	would	be	clearer	if	they	were	»self-
standing«	 i.e.	with	titles	and	 legends.	This,	however,	
is	just	a	minor	complaint.	There	is	no	doubt	this	is	a	
milestone	work,	which	will	be	used	as	a	starting	point	
and	comparison	for	any	future	conservation	and	atlas	
work.	It	is	also	a	very	useful	handbook	for	day-to-day	
conservation	work	and	a	stimulus	for	further	work	on	
Bulgarian	avifauna.	Being	aware	of	the	huge	amount	
of	 organisational,	 scientific	 and	 editorial	 work	 done	
in	sometimes	not	so	favourable	circumstances,	we	can	
only	congratulate	our	colleagues	 from	BSPB	for	this	
excellent	result.	
I	 thank	Nada	Tosheva	(Executive	Director	of	BSPB)	
for	 the	 copy	of	 the	book	 (although	 the	 luggage	was	
indeed	pretty	heavy!).
Primož	Kmecl
Acrocephalus 29 (137): 127, 2008