Influence of Vegetation on the Avifauna in Two Urban Parks in Plovdiv, Bulgaria

This study is related to the investigation of the impact that vegetation caused on the avifauna of the parks “Lauta” and “Tsar Simeon Garden” located in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. As a result of the study, we found that the biodiversity of the vegetation in park “Tsar Simeon Garden” is highly significant in comparison with the same in park “Lauta”. In the park “Tsar Simeon Garden” introduced plant species dominate over indigenous species, as compared with the park “Lauta”. The differences in the vegetation are caused by different management approaches carried out in the both parks. The degree of similarity between trees and bushes in both parks is low. The vegetation also had a significant influence on the avifauna living within the parks. The avian biodiversity in park “Lauta” is two times higher in comparison with the avian biodiversity in park “Tsar Simeon Garden”. The degree of similarity in the avifauna between both parks is significant, due the fact that all of the species, except one documented in “Tsar Simeon Garden” being documented in park “Lauta” as well. Eighteen new species of birds were recorded and described for the first time in the city of Plovdiv. The conservation status of the avifauna in park “Lauta” is quite significant in comparison with the same in park “Tsar Simeon Garden”.