Fertő–hanság National Park

National Park · Hungary

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Photo © Haeferl

Photo © Haeferl — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the Austro-Hungarian plains meet the foothills of Western Transdanubia, nearly 900 square kilometres of wetland, reed bed, and mixed woodland form one of Central Europe's most ecologically vital refuges. Fertő–Hanság National Park spans a mosaic of habitats centred on a shallow lake system and extensive marshlands that shift seasonally between open water, sedge meadow, and dense reedbeds taller than a person. The landscape is neither dramatic nor remote—it sits astride the Austrian border, accessible and well-managed—yet its ecological richness rivals any pristine wilderness. Waterbirds dominate the scene: dabbling ducks, geese, and grebes arrive in their thousands during spring and autumn migration, while wetland specialists exploit the rich invertebrate life of the shallows year-round. Reed beds shelter songbirds and small mammals; oak and poplar woodlands on drier ground support woodland raptors, woodpeckers, and forest songbirds. The park's wet-dry gradient creates zones of intense biodiversity, where amphibians thrive in seasonal pools and fish populations sustain both avian and terrestrial predators.

For wildlife photographers and serious birders, the park offers unmatched access to one of Europe's major migration corridors, where the intersection of continental and temperate climates creates predictable seasonal spectacles. Spring and autumn floods transform the landscape and trigger dramatic bird movements; summer brings breeding activity and long daylight for photography; even winter holds surprises as rare northern species occasionally arrive from the frozen steppes. The park's infrastructure—observation towers, hides, and boardwalks—allows close approach to active wildlife without disturbance, while the low, open terrain and water levels ensure excellent visibility. Light conditions across open water and reedbeds are often exceptional, especially during the golden hours. For those who understand that wetland ecology is as compelling as any mountain range or forest, Fertő–Hanság delivers intimate encounters with the birds, mammals, and ecological processes that shape Central Europe's natural heritage.

Website ferto-hansag.hu

Eastern Imperial Eagle

Ciconia ciconia

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Falco tinnunculus

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Anas platyrhynchos

Hirundo rustica

Branta leucopsis

Bar-headed Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Spatula querquedula

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Mareca strepera

Red-crested Pochard

Coturnix coturnix

Cuculus canorus

Common Wood Pigeon

Columba palumbus

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Rallus aquaticus

Gallinula chloropus

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Recurvirostra avosetta

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Black-tailed Godwit

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Tringa glareola

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Calidris pugnax

Chlidonias hybrida

Chlidonias niger

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Larus cachinnans

Pygmy Cormorant

Microcarbo pygmaeus

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Egretta garzetta

Ardeola ralloides

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

Common Kingfisher

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Eurasian Wryneck

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocoptes medius

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

Grey-headed Woodpecker

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Garrulus glandarius

Eurasian Magpie

Poecile palustris

Poecile montanus

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Bearded Reedling

Panurus biarmicus

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Acrocephalus palustris

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Locustella fluviatilis

Locustella luscinioides

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Curruca nisoria

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Eurasian Nuthatch

Short-toed Treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

Turdus philomelos

Turdus viscivorus

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Erithacus rubecula

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

Phoenicurus ochruros

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Saxicola rubetra

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Passer domesticus

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Anthus trivialis

Eurasian Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Linaria cannabina

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Serinus serinus

Emberiza calandra

Emberiza citrinella

Red-breasted Goose

Branta ruficollis

Tundra Bean Goose

Anser serrirostris

Lesser White-fronted Goose

Anser erythropus

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Tadorna ferruginea

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Northern Pintail

Ferruginous Duck

Aythya fuligula

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Mergellus albellus

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Porzana porzana

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Podiceps auritus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Pluvialis squatarola

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Anarhynchus alexandrinus

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Lymnocryptes minimus

Gallinago media

Gallinago gallinago

Phalaropus fulicarius

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

Terek Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Common Redshank

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Calidris canutus

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Calidris falcinellus

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Calidris alpina

Calidris minuta

White-rumped Sandpiper

Calidris fuscicollis

Black-winged Pratincole

Glareola nordmanni

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

Sternula albifrons

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Hydroprogne caspia

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Plegadis falcinellus

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Pandion haliaetus

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Lesser Spotted Eagle

Clanga pomarina

Greater Spotted Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

Long-legged Buzzard

Short-eared Owl

Syrian Woodpecker

Dendrocopos syriacus

White-backed Woodpecker

Dendrocopos leucotos

European Green Woodpecker

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Falco columbarius

Nymphicus hollandicus

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Corvus frugilegus

Lullula arborea

Galerida cristata

Riparia riparia

Phylloscopus trochilus

Moustached Warbler

Acrocephalus melanopogon

Regulus regulus

Troglodytes troglodytes

Eurasian Treecreeper

Certhia familiaris

Common Blackbird

Luscinia svecica

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Collared Flycatcher

Ficedula albicollis

Prunella modularis

Citrine Wagtail

Motacilla citreola

Motacilla cinerea

Anthus campestris

Anthus pratensis

Red-throated Pipit

Anthus cervinus

Anthus spinoletta

Fringilla montifringilla

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Eurasian Siskin

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

Rough-legged Buzzard

Lesser Grey Shrike

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Eurasian Beaver

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

European Ground Squirrel

Spermophilus citellus

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Lepus europaeus

Myocastor coypus

Northern White-breasted Hedgehog

Erinaceus roumanicus

Eurasian Wild Pig

Mustela erminea

Eurasian Red Squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris

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