Bulgaria Ramsar wetland
Lake Shabla
293 bird species recorded; the most in May and in September.
Spiritia · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
130 species in January.145 species in February.148 species in March.205 species in April.233 species in May.164 species in June.150 species in July.153 species in August.215 species in September.137 species in October.100 species in November.122 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
VU
VU
VU
NT
NT
VUNT
NTVU
VU
VUVU
VU
NT
NT
NT
VUNT
NT
VU
VU
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
293 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 293Speciesrecorded more than once
- 190Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 12ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 28,240Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 25Raptors
- 7Owls
- 41Waders
- 25Gulls & seabirds
- 32Ducks & geese
- 20Herons, ibises & grebes
- 4Storks & cranes
- 1Flamingos
- 107Songbirds
- 31Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 293 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors25 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
- Red-footed FalconFalco vespertinusVU
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
- Long-legged BuzzardButeo rufinus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Rough-legged BuzzardButeo lagopus
- Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargus
- White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicilla
- Pallid HarrierCircus macrourusNT
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Eleonora's FalconFalco eleonorae
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Short-toed eagleCircaetus gallicus
- Lesser spotted eagleAquila pomarina
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
- Greater spotted eagleAquila clanga
- Eurasian GoshawkAccipiter gentilis
- Egyptian vultureNeophron percnopterus
- Lesser kestrelFalco naumanni
Owls7 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Eurasian Scops OwlOtus scops
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Northern Eagle OwlBubo bubo
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
Waders41 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Northern LapwingVanellus vanellusNT
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Spotted RedshankTringa erythropus
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinus
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
- Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellusVU
- RedshankTringa totanus
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Temminck's StintCalidris temminckii
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- European Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria
- Great SnipeGallinago mediaNT
- White-tailed LapwingVanellus leucurus
- Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Terek SandpiperXenus cinereus
- Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus
- Eurasian Stone-curlewBurhinus oedicnemus
- Greater Sand PloverCharadrius leschenaultii
- Spur-winged LapwingVanellus spinosus
- Grey (Red) PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
Gulls & seabirds25 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
- Little GullHydrocoloeus minutus
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Black-throated DiverGavia arctica
- Pontic gullLarus cachinnans
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Slender-billed GullChroicocephalus genei
- Yelkouan ShearwaterPuffinus yelkouanVU
- Common GullLarus canus
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Pallas's GullIchthyaetus ichthyaetus
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
- Audouin's GullIchthyaetus audouinii
Ducks & geese32 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- GarganeySpatula querquedula
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Ferruginous DuckAythya nyrocaNT
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Common PochardAythya ferinaVU
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- Red-breasted GooseBranta ruficollisVU
- Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea
- Bewick's SwanCygnus columbianus
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- Red-crested pochardNetta rufina
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- SmewMergellus albellus
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- Lesser white-fronted gooseAnser erythropusVU
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
- Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis
- Velvet scoterMelanitta fuscaVU
- White-headed duckOxyura leucocephala
- Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisVU
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Tundra Bean GooseAnser serrirostris
Herons, ibises & grebes20 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
- Microcarbo pygmaeusMicrocarbo pygmaeus
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Great White PelicanPelecanus onocrotalus
- Eurasian BitternBotaurus stellaris
- Dalmatian PelicanPelecanus crispusNT
- Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusVU
Storks & cranes4 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Common CraneGrus grus
- Demoiselle CraneAnthropoides virgo
- Black storkCiconia nigra
Flamingos1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Songbirds107 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
- Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
- Eurasian MagpiePica pica
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos
- Spanish sparrowPasser hispaniolensis
- Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Great titParus major
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus
- Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- European GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
- Red-breasted flycatcherFicedula parva
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Eurasian ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Lesser whitethroatSylvia curruca
- Lesser Grey ShrikeLanius minor
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Barred WarblerSylvia nisoria
- Tawny PipitAnthus campestris
- Western JackdawColoeus monedula
- Common Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Savi's WarblerLocustella luscinioides
- Common LinnetLinaria cannabina
- Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- WhinchatSaxicola rubetra
- HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes
- Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
- Crested larkGalerida cristata
- Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
- Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
- Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Black-headed buntingEmberiza melanocephala
- Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
- European RobinErithacus rubecula
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Calandra larkMelanocorypha calandra
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- Pied WheatearOenanthe pleschanka
- European Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca
- Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
- Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
- Eastern Olivaceous WarblerIduna pallida
- Citrine WagtailMotacilla citreola
- Thrush NightingaleLuscinia luscinia
- Collared FlycatcherFicedula albicollis
- Garden WarblerSylvia borin
- Rosy StarlingPastor roseus
- Paddyfield WarblerAcrocephalus agricola
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Common RosefinchCarpodacus erythrinus
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla
- Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Eurasian Penduline TitRemiz pendulinus
- Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorNT
- Northern RavenCorvus corax
- Bearded ReedlingPanurus biarmicus
- Lanius excubitorLanius excubitor
- Ortolan buntingEmberiza hortulana
- Isabelline wheatearOenanthe isabellina
- WoodlarkLullula arborea
- Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibillatrix
- Greater Short-toed LarkCalandrella brachydactyla
- Red-throated PipitAnthus cervinus
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Half-collared FlycatcherFicedula semitorquata
- Icterine warblerHippolais icterina
- Eurasian River WarblerLocustella fluviatilis
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Moustached WarblerAcrocephalus melanopogon
- Western Black-eared WheatearOenanthe hispanica
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Olive-tree WarblerHippolais olivetorum
- Cirl BuntingEmberiza cirlus
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- Masked ShrikeLanius nubicus
- European SerinSerinus serinus
- BluethroatLuscinia svecica
- Eurasian Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestris
- Eastern Bonelli's WarblerPhylloscopus orientalis
- Siberian stonechatSaxicola maurus
- Northern NutcrackerNucifraga caryocatactes
- Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
- Lesser Short-toed LarkCalandrella rufescens
- Pallas's Leaf WarblerPhylloscopus proregulus
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
Other birds31 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- CootFulica atra
- Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- European Turtle DoveStreptopelia turturVU
- Syrian WoodpeckerDendrocopos syriacus
- Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbus
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- European SwiftApus apus
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- European Water RailRallus aquaticus
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Grey PartridgePerdix perdix
- European RollerCoracias garrulus
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- Common QuailCoturnix coturnix
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
- Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
- Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- Porzana parvaPorzana parva
- WryneckJynx torquilla
- Spotted CrakePorzana porzana
- Grey-headed WoodpeckerPicus canus
- European NightjarCaprimulgus europaeus
- Corncrake, corn crakeCrex crex
- Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
- Middle Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocoptes medius
- Black WoodpeckerDryocopus martius
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species in May and in September.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan6°/3°50 mm
- Feb6°/3°36 mm
- Mar9°/5°39 mm
- Apr12°/8°28 mm
- May18°/14°37 mm
- Jun23°/20°46 mm
- Jul26°/22°43 mm
- Aug26°/23°29 mm
- Sep22°/19°53 mm
- Oct17°/14°58 mm
- Nov12°/10°44 mm
- Dec8°/5°52 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Lake Shabla.
Lake in Bulgaria
Lake Shabla is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Bulgaria.
293 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 28,240 open records.
The most recorded are the Yellow-legged Gull, the Western Marsh Harrier and the Common Shelduck.
105 species come for the summer, 75 for the winter and 10 only pass through.
12 are threatened worldwide, including European Turtle Dove, Curlew Sandpiper and Grey Plover.
The most species are recorded in May and in September.
Get there and watch
- Добруджаcampsite · 2.0 km · 6 within 10 km
- Хотел Навиplace to stay · 1.6 km · 38 within 10 km
- Shablanearest town · 4.5 km in a straight line
- Varna Airport (VAR)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 71 km in a straight lineCar hire at VAR airport (Varna)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 1viewpoints within 5 km
- 4car parks within 3 km
- 9restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 6campsites within 10 kmДобруджа, BEK21, Camping Narva and 3 more
- 38places to stay within 10 kmХотел Нави, Мираж, Крапец Холидей and 35 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- visitor centres within 6 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Lake Shabla.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Lakeyas3 lakes within 15 kmLake Shabla0.5 km² · 0.9 kmDurankulak lake1.9 km² · 11 kmOrlovo blato0.2 km² · 13 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Lake Shabla
Bulgaria
- 89Birdyas Score
- 293Species
- 190Migrants
- 12Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q1133271) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 28,240 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Lakeyas, Darkskyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
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mountains
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Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
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Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
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forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit