Monitoring bird species and protecting their habitats are among the most important activities carried out in the Bicaz Gorges-Hasmas National Park, with specialists even identifying a pair of Eurasian eagle-owls (Bubo bubo), a rare nocturnal bird of prey.

The park's director, Hegyi Barna, told AGERPRES on Friday that monitoring activities take place throughout the year and include direct observation, species identification by sound, the use of camera traps and field data collection.

Modern sound-recognition applications have also proved highly useful in identifying species.

For certain species, such as the western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), monitoring is carried out mainly in spring, during the mating season, when males can be observed in display areas.

However, monitoring also takes place during the winter months, as species such as the hazel grouse (Tetrastes bonasia), woodpeckers (Picidae) and owls (Strigiformes) remain active.

According to the park director, camera traps have confirmed the presence of a pair of Eurasian eagle-owls (Bubo bubo) within the park - the largest owl species in Europe and the continent's largest nocturnal bird of prey.

The discovery is considered significant, as the footage confirms not only the species' presence but also that it is nesting in the park. Specialists have also observed a juvenile, indicating that the pair has offspring.

'We identified through camera monitoring that we have a Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), which is quite a rare species in Romania. Estimates suggest there are between 100 and 300 pairs in the country, and certainly one of them is in the Bicaz Gorges-Hasmas National Park. It is the largest owl species in Europe. (...) We knew it was present, we had heard its call, but we did not know whether it was just passing through or nesting. Now we are certain the pair is nesting, as we have also seen a juvenile, which means the pair has chicks,' Hegyi Barna explained.

He added that the species is extremely sensitive to human disturbance, particularly during nesting, and activities such as ATV or motorcycle use in remote rocky areas may cause birds to abandon their nests.

The western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is also highly sensitive to disturbance, seeking quiet, hard-to-access areas for nesting and raising its young.

'It is a species that is very sensitive to disturbance, habitat changes and human activity. We have found nests in areas affected by windthrow. The trees had fallen, but as the area is protected, they were not removed. This created difficult-to-access zones where these birds found suitable shelter. Such areas can provide refuge for species that require peace and protection for their young,' the park director said.

Another component of conservation efforts is the installation of artificial nesting boxes for species that depend on tree cavities.

More than 150 such nests have already been installed in the park, with plans to add several hundred more under a future project.

The nests vary in size and are used by different bird species, from owls to small songbirds.

Bird ringing is also an important activity carried out by the park administration.

Hegyi Barna noted that ecological education camps are organised each autumn for children and young people from nearby communities, where participants can observe how birds are temporarily captured, identified, ringed and then released.

The data collected provide valuable scientific insights into migration, survival and species behaviour.

According to the park administration, constant monitoring helps specialists identify the species living in the park, including rare or vulnerable ones, and protect their habitats.

The information gathered is stored in a digital database and is also used when assessing projects or investments that could affect the park's natural habitats.

'When someone wants to carry out ‘development' in a national park, to build something, and the law does not allow it, we are always asked: 'what exactly are you protecting there?' With a single click, we can show the plant, mammal and bird species identified in the area. (...) There are already regulations limiting construction and human activities in certain areas of the park, but these are constantly challenged by those seeking to expand human activity, who claim they have visited the area many times and seen nothing but grass. That is why we maintain a biodiversity monitoring database to support the enforcement of these laws,' Hegyi Barna concluded. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Gina Stefan; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)