Birdwatching

Images • Videos • Downloads

Danube
Delta

	Danube Delta World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Habitat with the largest biodiversity, natural heritage and UNESCO protected area.
	Overview • Birdwatching • People and Settlements • Fauna

Want to travel here? Book now

Related articles: Danube Delta Bird Species, Birdwatching Image Gallery

A bird-watchers’ paradise

The Danube Delta offers the opportunity to spot more than 300 species of migratory and resident birds, including eagles, egrets, vultures, geese, cranes, ibises, cormorants, swans and pelicans. Located on the 45th parallel, the Danube Delta makes for a perfect stopping-off point between the Equator and the North Pole for millions of migratory birds.

Some of the most important species include:
  •   Great white pelican (pelecanus onocrotalus)
  •   Dalmatian pelican (pelecanus crispus)
  •   Little egret (egretta garzetta)
  •   Pygmy cormorant (phalacrocorax pygmeus)
  •   Ferruginous duck (aythya nyroca)
  •   Red-breasted goose (branta ruficollis)
  •   Glossy ibis (plegadis falcinellus)

Brooding birds

The species of brooding birds occurring in the Danube Delta were classified into 12 main biotopes, the classification criterion being represented by the nesting place where they show the greatest relative density.

As to their dynamics, the brooding birds include: 44 sedentary species and 132 migratory ones . The great number of migratory species is explained by the optimal conditions of nesting and especially of feeding the deltaic biotopes are providing in the warm season of the year.

Non-brooding birds

The species of non-brooding deltaic birds were classified into the biotopes they visit while resting on the Danube Delta’s territory and they are connected to by the way these biotopes are providing their food.

The non-brooding species include: 35 winter species visit the Danube Delta only in winter; 46 passage species which cross the delta’s territory only in spring and in autumn; 6 erratic ones which irregularly show up in different biotopes and 11 accidental species.

European bee-eater (merops apiaster)

Bee-eaters are gregarious. They form colonies by nesting in burrows tunnelled into the side of sandy banks, such as those which have collapsed on the edges of rivers.

European roller (coracias garrulus)

Rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant shrikes, whilst watching for the large insects, small reptiles, rodents and frogs that they eat.

European robin (erithacus rubecula)

Male Robins are noted for their highly aggressive territorial behaviour. They will ruthlessly attack other males that stray into their territories, and have been observed attacking other small birds without apparent provocation.

Select your language: English • Français • Deutsch • Italiano • Español • Română

Copyright © 2010, Visit Danube Delta. By using this website you agree with the Terms of Use
Visit Danube Delta is owned and operated by Hotel Delta Tulcea.

Visit Danube Delta is a registered or registration-pending trademark in: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and/or other countries