Area: 79,73 ха
Ownership: state - 45%; municipality - 50%; private - 5%;
Description:
A vertical loess wall, about 12 m high, on the southern hillside south-west of the town of Tutrakan, North-east Bulgaria. The site is located immediately next to the Silistra – Russe road. It also includes the open grasslands on the hill and the neighbouring small valley. The open grasslands have a steppe character, with single low trees and shrubs, mainly of Crataegus monogyna, Rosa canina, etc. The valley is overgrown with acacia Robinia pseudoacacia, and shrubs of Blackberry Rubus spp., Dog-rose Rosa canina, etc. in its lower parts.
Birds:
Stenata is a small area, which holds a big colony of the Bee-eater Merops apiaster, and where the Roller Coracias garrulus breeds as well. The area is one of the five most important sites for Bee-eater in the country. Stenata is a constant breeding and feeding place for a pair of Levant Sparrowhawks Accipiter brevipes. All the species mentioned above are included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act, as needing special conservation measures. The Roller and Levant Sparrowhawk are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive.
Threats:
Stenata is a small area, situated close to an intensively used road and it is easy to access. Thus it is sensitive to human activities, which cause disturbance to breeding birds in the colony. The use of chemicals in the arable lands influences the feeding base of the Bee-eater and the Roller. Extraction of sand from the sandy wall with the colony could cause disturbance to birds if it is carried out during the breeding season.
Legal protection:
The area does not have legal protection under the national conservation legislation. In 1997 the area was designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
