The National Ornithology Olympiad 2023 was held by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) in spring, with the final round last Sunday, gathering twenty best students from a total of 117 pupils of 5th to 8th grades from different cities of the country.
The final round was held on April 23 in the Visitor Center of the Persina Nature Park, located on the banks of the Danube River. It consisted of two parts: a test and recognition of bird species from photographic material. All finalists, their teachers, and parents were invited to participate.
All the children showed a very good knowledge of the birds, and the test and pictures hardly gave them any trouble. Nevertheless, Nikolay Dimitrov from “St. Nikola” Primary School – Stara Zagora – took first place in the National Ornithology Olympiad. The second place, with a minimal difference from the first position, went to Veronika Pavlova from 55 SU “Petko Karavelov” – Sofia. Denitsa Savovska from “Basic Progressive School 1” – Sofia, placed third. Prizes were prepared and distributed to all participants. The first three students also received special gifts from BSPB – binoculars.
The National Olympiad in Ornithology is one of the most important educational activities of BSPB. It was held from 1999 to 2008 with the support of the Regional Structures of the Ministry of Education and Science and with the participation of over 10,000 students from all over the country. In 2022, the event was revived again after a 13-year hiatus.
“Our experience over the years shows that the outstanding students in the final rounds continue to develop their interests in the field of biology and conservation. Some of the winners of previous editions are already distinguished scientists and specialists in their field, with a number of significant successes in nature conservation, numerous scientific publications, and national and international recognitions and awards” said Svilen Cheshmedziev from BSPB.
The Olympiad was organized within a few LIFE initiatives: “Pelican Way of LIFE“, “LIFE for Eagle’s Habitats“ and “Life for Safe Flight“.