Breeding and winter distribution of Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) on the eastern coast of Adriatic Sea

Sa？etak Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) is a scarce breeding species in the Northern and Southern Velebit, Dinara and Biokovo Mountains. Since 1986 the authors have observed the species on 22 occasions during the breeding period. Breeding was confirmed on Biokovo Mt., while on Velebit Mountain Alpine Accentor is regularly observed during the breeding season. According to the number of observed individuals, the population in Paklenica National Park is estimated at 10 breeding pairs, while the whole Croatian population is estimated to 160-210 pairs. Wintering of Alpine Accentor on the East Adriatic coast was confirmed by recent reports from Southern Velebit, along the southern border of Paklenica National Park and in Velika and Mala Paklenica canyons. Two observations from Biokovo Mt. in spring and autumn were documented, close to the breeding site, which are the only recent data of the Alpine Accentor for Central Dalmatia. There are only 14 known specimens of the species concerning other areas along the East Adriatic coast in Croatia (i.e. Istria, Kvarner Region, Central and Southern Dalmatia) and Montenegro in the collections of Natural History Museums in Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik, dating from the 19th and 20th centuries. Recent observations from the aforementioned areas are unfortunately missing