Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Mass death of small songbirds reported to Green Balkans Wildlife Rescue Centre

New Year's Eve fireworks and crackers kill nearly 600 bramblings near the town of Koprivshtitsa 

Birds died of stress, necropsy shows

Photo: Wildlife Rescue Centre - Green Balkans

On the first day of the new year 2025, the Green Balkans Wildlife Rescue Centre found a total of 606 Bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla), of which 591 were dead. 

Information about the disaster was received at noon on 1 January, when concerned citizens reported a mass death of small songbirds near Koprivshtitsa. A team from the environmental organisation went to the scene and found hundreds of dead and injured bramblings. The necropsy of the dead birds showed that they had died of stress, with massive haemorrhages in the abdominal cavity and skull. The stress was caused by the thunderous fireworks and crackers on New Year's Eve.

The brambling is a bird species protected under the Bulgarian Biodiversity Act.

Many other birds and animals have also died in populated areas of Bulgaria as a result of the noisy celebrations. Numerous cases of frightened and lost pets were reported on social media.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Prime Minister Zhelyazkov: Bulgarian and foreign citizens were evacuated from Israel after carefully planned actions

The evacuation of Bulgarian and foreign citizens from Israel was carefully planned by Bulgarian diplomats in Sofia and those on site , Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced at the beginning of the government meeting, BNR reporter Tsvetelina..

published on 6/18/25 2:12 PM

President Radev calls for identifying new sources of growth

In the dynamic, risk-filled and conflict-ridden global agenda, it is increasingly difficult to outline the future. This was what President Rumen Radev said at the Green Transition Forum 5.0, which is being held in Sofia, the..

published on 6/18/25 10:56 AM

Skopje is preparing new trial against Ljupcho Georgievski over publishing "Macedonian Blood Wedding"

On May 15, I was summoned for questioning in a second case. We published the book "Macedonian Blood Wedding" by Voydan Chernodrinski. It has not been formulated yet, but the accusation is for spreading racism. This was what..

published on 6/18/25 9:45 AM