Séjour ornithologique dans le nord-est de la Hongrie en août 2004

Hungary is a country blessed with many great birding sites. Habitats include coniferous & broad-leaved forests, limestone hills, grazing pastures, hand mowed meadows, flood plain woodlands along the Danube, Tisza and other rivers, marshes, salt lakes, vast reed beds, bird friendly fish farms and miles of rough grassland. A series of forested hill ranges, including the Aggtelek and the Zemplén run across the north of the country. These are mainly broadleaved and there are Black Stork, Collared and Red-breasted Flycatchers, woodpeckers such as Black, Grey-headed, White-backed and Middle Spotted, Honey Buzzard, Goshawk and Eastern Imperial and Lesser Spotted Eagles. In some areas there are Ural and Eagle Owls, Rock Thrush and Rock Bunting, too.
South of the northern hills, to the east of the Danube, is the Great Plain which is « dominated » by two of Hungary’s best birding areas: the Hortobágy and the Kiskunság. This lowland region is typified by dry and wet grasslands, the so-called « puszta », large fish-pond systems and vast farmlands. They are home of several interesting species such as the Great Bustard or the Red-footed Falcon.
In August 2004, Willy Maillard has spent 3 weeks to visit the Aggtelek and the Zemplén ranges and the Hortobágy Park.