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The Community of Nature Parks

BIRD WATCHING

Slovenia's diverse landscapes and climates offer a lot to ornithologists and amateur bird watchers alike. Bird watching combines recreation in the nature and education about birds, their habits and their habitat. So far, 386 bird species have been recorded in Slovenia; 223 among them also breed in Slovenia. 386 bird species represent half of all European bird species (about 850). By recognizing the importance of watching and studying the birds, 7th October has been proclaimed the European Bird Watching Day.

Ptuj Lake

Jellow-legged gull
(Larus michahellis)

Most common bird species:

black-headed gull, mediterranean gull, common tern, black tern, common sandpiper, jellow-legged gull, tufted duck, common goldeneye, pygmy cormorant, common merganser

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Highest number of species

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Highest number of birds

Ptuj Lake is a reservoir lake on the Drava river, representing the most important wintering place in the inland Slovenia. Special nesting islands for common tern, Mediterranean gull and black-headed gull have been arranged for this purpose. There is a 12 km walking trail around the lake, with a bird watching spot that includes the most important information about birds.

Lake Cerknica

Common snipe
(Gallinago gallinago)

Most common bird species:

charadriiformes, red-necked grebe, common rosefinch, whinchat, western yellow wagtail, hen harrier, corn crake, ducks, birds of prey, red-footed falcon, herons, rails

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Highest number of species

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Highest number of birds

The intermittent Lake Cerknica has been home to a large number of bird species for centuries. After migrating south, these birds return to their chosen home. Sometimes they arrive quietly and secretly; at other times they come in all their magnificence as if they wanted to make everyone aware of their homecoming.

Sečovlje Salt Pans

Little egret
(Egretta garzetta)

Most common bird species:

Little tern, common tern, sabre fish, black-winged stilt, Kentish plover, common redshank, common shelduck, yellow-legged gull, black-headed gull, little egret, great egret

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Highest number of species

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Highest number of birds

In 1993, Salt Pans of Sečovlje became a site under Ramsar Convention which obliges Slovenia to protect wetlands as birds’ habitat. Salt Pans and its unique biotope of sea water channels represent an extraordinary habitat for almost 300 bird species that find here their night or wintering place.

Ormož Lagoons

Ferruginous duck
(Boletus badius)

Most common bird species:

Ferruginous duck, gadwall, garganey, wood sandpiper, ruff, Eurasian wigeon, common teal, water rail, western marsh harrier, white-tailed eagle, bearded reedling

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Highest number of species

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Highest number of birds

Ormož Lagoons are wetlands with extraordinary international significance. They formed in the refining pools that used to be part of the Ormož Sugar Factory. The vast area of muddy shallows are a welcome haven for the migrating birds. There is an educational trail, including some bird watching hides in adapted shipping containers.

Maribor Island

Collared flycatcher
(Ficedula albicollis)

Most common bird species:

mallard, mute swan, great cormorant, grey heron, goosander, tawny owl, great spotted woodpecker, great tit, European robin, common chaffinch, collared flycatcher, blackbird

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Highest number of species

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Highest number of birds

MThe Maribor Island is a natural island on the Drau river renowned by its geomorphological and botanical features and is an important habitat of a number of bird species. About 30 bird species nest on the island and additional 40 species can occasionally be spotted there all year round. The most numerous species on the island are forest birds. Due to its location on the river, some water bird species can be found as well, especially in winter.

Iški morost

Curlew
(Numenius arquata)

Most common bird species:

Corn crake, whinchat, Eurasian curlew, common quail, common whitethroat, common nightingale, tree pipit, hen harrier, great grey shrike

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Highest number of birds

This 64 hectare nature reserve is a landscape of marsh grassland and residues of flooded forests. Iški morost as a nature reserve is a part of Ljubljana Marshes Nature Park and is a home to numerous highly endangered species of grassland plants and animals. In addition, it is one of the most important nestings places of the corn crake in Slovenia.

Škocjanski Zatok
Nature Reserve

Little Tern
(Sternula albifrons)

Most common bird species:

little tern, common tern, black-winged stilt, common redshank, little ringed plover, little bittern, great reed warbler, reed warbler, Cetti's warbler, little egret, cattle egret

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Highest number of species

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Highest number of birds

The 122 hectares of Škocjanski zatok is an area dedicated to birds. The reserve consists of the brackish lagoon with nesting islands, saltmarshes and mudflats with grasslands. Around 250 species of birds add up to the abundance of flora and fauna. The reserve has a walking trail with numerous bird watching hides.

Strunjan Salina
Nature Park

Black-winged Stilt
(Himantopus himantopus)

Most common bird species:

Black-winged stilt, common redshank, common shelduck, yellow-legged gull, black-headed gull, little egret

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Highest number of species

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Highest number of birds

Strunjan salt pans as the meeting point of the sea and land, together with Stjuža, the only sea lagoon in Slovenia, are an area of salty wetlands, one of the highly endangered ecosystems. Numerous birds rest on the banks and strand; many choose this area also as a nesting place. So far, over 200 bird species have been listed in this area.

Medvedce Reservoir

Northern shoveler
(Anas clypeata)

Most common bird species:

gadwell, garganey, ferruginous duck, northern shoveler, Eurasian bittern, western marsh harrier, purple heron, grey heron, great egret, ruff, small wader, white-tailed eagle, black kite, greylag goose, greater white-fronted goose

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Highest number of species

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Highest number of birds

Reservoir Medvedce is the third largest water surface in the Pannonian part of Slovenia. Aquatic plant species dominate the surface of the reservoir, whereas rare flood meadows and forests can be found on some of its edges. The area is crisscrossed by several drainage ditches that get flooded in times of heavy rain and attract many waders, which feed in them. Many rare bird species nest in the bulrush and reed that cover the western part of the reservoir.