Romania

Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus ©Dick Daniels Website

Birding Romania

Theres no doubt about it, the Danube delta is one of the best place in Europe for birds yet still most British birdwatchers haven’t been there – so begins Dave Gosney in his booklet about birding in Romania. Indeed, the Danube delta along with the lagoon system and plains south of it, host massive numbers of bird species and individuals that make this region a birding Eldorado for the visitors.

The 580,000 hectares of the Danube Delta Biospheres Reserve includes the largest reed surface in the world, interrupted by lakes and channels, where thousands of pelicans, herons, ibis, ducks, warblers and other birds breed. Birds like White-Tailed Eagle, Paddyfield Warbler, Pied Wheatear and Dalmatian Pelican are certain to be of interest to list keepers, but the main attraction here is the great show of nature, with huge wild areas reachable only by rowing boat, and everything seen at close range.

South of the delta Histria is a reserve where, stopping the car anywhere on a road near a lake, you can see thousands of water birds including 60 species of waders, terns, ducks, gulls, geese, cormorants, pelicans, herons, and egrets. And in the reeds a few meters from the road, Paddyfield Warblers and Bearded tits. In the steppes just one kilometre away, you can easily see Calandra Larks. In recent years things have changed, the wetlands of Histria often dry out most of the year. The area has water only in early spring when it is abundant in waterbirds, including a good number of waders. However, some years, by the end of May the area is already dry and birds dispersed.

The mountains are even less well known to birders and we heartily recommend a visit to Piatra Craiului and Retezat mountains, or to the large Bicaz Gorges, and again not just for easy ticking of Wallcreeper and other alpine species, but also for the large areas that are still wild and untouched by human influence, they can offer spectacular birding.

In Romania, birding is a new and developing hobby. The Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR) – BirdLife Romania only has about 5000 members.

Contributors
  • Florin Feneru

    Bacau ROMANIA | flfeneru@yahoo.com

Number of Species
  • Number of bird species: 383

    (As at December 2018)

    National Bird - Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus

Checklist
  • iGoTerra Checklist

    iGoTerra Checklist
    Fatbirder Associate iGoTerra offers the most comprehensive and up to date birds lists on the web
Useful Reading

  • Finding Birds in South-East Romania

    | By Dave Gosney | Easybirder | 2019 | Paperback | 40 pages, b/w maps | ISBN: 9781907316586 Buy this book from NHBS.com
  • Romania: A Birdwatching and Wildlife Guide

    | By James Roberts | Burton Expeditions | 2000 | Paperback | 330 pages, col photos, maps | ISBN: 9780951351628 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Museums & Universities
  • Banat Timisoara Museum of Natural History

    Information
    The collection of birds (Ornithology) is made up of over 3,000 items. They are organised in a scientific collection, arranged in systemic order, as well as naturalised birds for exhibitions. Additional collections display birds' eggs and bones…
Organisations
  • Milvus

    Website
    The Association for Bird and Nature Protection Milvus Group is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, acting in the fields of education, research and advisory, in order to make Romania a better place for birds, wildlife and people. A few very enthusiastic young bird-watchers founded the Milvus in autumn 1991. Soon after this, we joined the Romanian Ornithological Society, becoming its branch in Tirgu Mures. Since the end of 2001 the Association for Bird and Nature Protection Milvus Group became an independent registered NGO
  • SOR BirdLife Romania

    Website
    Romanian Ornithological SocietyStr Gheorghe Dima 49/2, RO-3400 Cluj. +40 64 438086 sorcj@codec.ro It is the official page of BirdLife`s partner in Romania, it has some English pages too.
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • BR NP Danube Delta

    InformationSatellite View
    The Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. There are over 320 species of birds found in the delta during summer, of which 166 nest and 159 are migratory. Over one million individual birds (swans, wild ducks, coots, etc.) winter here.
  • NP Domogled-Valea Cernei

    InformationSatellite View
    The National Park stretches across over Cerna Mountains and Godeanu Mountains on the right side, and over Vâlcan Mountains and Medinţi Mountains on left (in Retezat-Godeanu Mountains group, subgroup of mountains in the Southern Carpathians), in the Cerna River basin.
  • NP Nera Gorge-Beușnița

    InformationSatellite View
    The Natural Park is located at the south-west limit of the country, in the south of the Anina Mountains (group mountain included in Banat Mountains), in Caraș-Severin County, on the middle course of Nera River and on the upper Beu River. It is rich in species of birds including: golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), lesser spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina), common kingfisher (Alcedo athis), hazel grouse (Bonasa bonasia), hen harrier (Circus cyaneus), Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus), red-breasted flycatcher (Ficedula parva), European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), European nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), grey-headed woodpecker (Picus canus), Ural owl (Strix uralensis), corn crake (Crex crex), barred warbler (Sylvia nisoria), red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana), European roller (Coracias garrulus), Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) or middle spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius).
  • NP Retezat

    InformationSatellite View
    Containing more than 60 peaks over 2,300 metres (7,500 ft) and over 100 crystal clear deep glacier lakes, the Retezat Mountains are some of the most beautiful in the Carpathians. Wolves, brown bear, wild boar, Eurasian lynx, European wildcat, chamois, roe deer and red deer, as well as small carnivore species such as Eurasian badger and Eurasian otter populate the park.
  • NP Rodna

    InformationSatellite View
    The National Park is located in Northern Romania, in the Rodna Mountains, a subdivision of the Eastern Carpathians.
  • NP Semenic-Caraș Gorge

    InformationSatellite View
    The Natural Park is located in Anina Mountains and Semenic (groups mountain included in Banat Mountains), in the southwestern's part of the country, in the middle of Caraș-Severin county. A mixed mountainous area (canyons, caves, pit caves, sinkholes, ridges, valleys, pasture, forests) it shelters a wide variety of flora and fauna.
  • WII IBA Dumbravita Fishpond Complex

    InformationSatellite View
    The birdwatching is one of the most important activities within Dumbravita protection area. This area is annually visited by various groups of tourists from different countries to see the birds, plants and the beautiful landscapes.
  • Wetlands

    WebpageSatellite View
    Romania currently has 19 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 1,156,448 hectares.
Guides & Tour Operators
  • Absolute Carpathian

    Tour Operator
    Absolute Carpathian is your local tour operator for wildlife watching tours in Transylvania, Romania. Mountain birding: Ural owl, Alpine Accentor, Sombre Tit, Wallcreepers, Alpine swifts, Eagle owl, Golden eagles, woodpeckers, Tawny Owls, buzzards and other birds of prey…
  • Birding in Romania

    Tour Operator
    Birding in Romania tours proudly offers quality birding adventures, expertly guided by our passionate and experienced professional tour leaders. We seek to deliver birding experience by ensuring our tours are seamlessly arranged, fun, educational and support conservation initiatives.
  • Chettusia Birdwatching Tours

    Tour Operator
    Chettusia Tours is a small private tourism company established in 2001 by two PASSIONATES, Baciu Mihai and Sorin Cismaru, of nature that afther a long work experience at Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority, have decided to demonstrate their own capabilities and acknowledges got both in Romania and abroad…
  • Ecotours

    Tour Operator
    Romania should be high on the list of destinations for every birdwatcher. The Danube Delta is for those who enjoy spectacular birdwatching: huge flocks of pelicans, waders, cormorants, the reedbeds full of warblers, lakes and marshes full of herons, egrets and ibises. Woodpeckers, Hoopoe, Roller, Bee-eater and Golden Oriole are plentiful
  • Finesse Travel & Explore

    Tour Operator
    The day-to-day itinerary should be considered a guide only, as to some extent we will plan our program as we go along, to allow for greater flexibility. The propram tends to be determined by prevailing local condition (e.g. weather, water depth in channels). The delta is incredebly rich in breeding birds. The Danube Delta comprises a vast complex of reed beds, willow forest, and wetland, crossed by an intricate network of channels. We shall explore as wide a variety as possible of these habitas, both on foot and using a combination of the Flotel and a small motor boat…
  • Green Eye Ecotours

    Tour Operator
    Today we provide outdoor-oriented tours, adventures, expeditions…
  • Probirder

    Tour Operator
    Gerard Gorman is available to guide you in Romania
  • Sakertour

    Tour Operator
    Established in 1994 by Prof. J. Ol
  • Wild Danube Company

    Tour Operator
    Birds are created the delta fame, notorious, even from the beginning of the century as a bird paradise. The renown is due to the 327 species we can meet in the delta and which represent 81% of Romanian bird fauna…
Trip Reports
  • 2014 [05 May] - Zoltán Baczó

    Report
    ...We had several Caspian and one Gull-billed Tern here but our attention soon turned to the sandpiper flocks which contained mainly Curlew Sandpipers, Dunlins and Little Stints, but more then 30 Broad-billed Sandpipers were also seen here which is an outstanding number even at this eastern location. The dryer parts of the lagoon held a few Kentish Plovers and also a few Collared Pratincoles. As the road was really bad and slow back to the hotel, it was already time to head back to have our lunch and right after go out to check another wetland site a bit further away...
  • 2014 [06 June] - Chris Durdin - Danube Delta

    PDF Report
    A white-tailed eagle landed on a sandy river bank and was mobbed by a marsh harrier. Spoonbills included birds in breeding plumage with a patch of red skin at their bill’s base. Ducks included Garganey and any number of ferruginous ducks, and black-necked grebes kept the company and protection of whiskered terns on floating vegetation. There were so many rollers, glossy ibises and great white egrets that we had long stopped calling them or pointing to them...
  • 2014 [09 August] - Dylan Vasapolli

    PDF Report
    Despite being a relatively small country, together with Spain Bulgaria boasts the highest biodiversity in Europe, with the birds contributing greatly to this. The vast tracts of different habitats make it a pleasant country to bird, and the country plays host to several scenically beautiful areas, adding to its splendor.
  • 2015 [04 April] - Zoltán Baczó

    PDF Report
    We were especially proud to find all 10 of the European woodpecker species within this short time of birding.
  • 2015 [05 May] - Dick Meijer and Peter van Scheepen

    PDF Report
    Best birds today: Ruddy Shelduck, Red-crested Pochard, both species of Pelican, Pallid Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Collared Pratincole, Slender-billedGull, Mediterranean Gull, Pallas’s’ Gull, White-winged Tern, Red-footed Falcon, Lesser Gray-Shrike, Bearded Reedling, Calandra Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Paddyfield Warbler (Wolf Peninsula), Thrush Nightingale and Collared Flycatcher(Vadu) and Red-breasted Flycatcher (Sinoe village), Isabelline Wheatear and Tawny Pipit (rocky slope), Pied Wheatear (Sitorman Quarry).
  • 2015 [12 December] - Richard Webb

    PDF Report
    ...The lake itself is a known drinking site for geese including Red-breasted but disturbance from hunters stopped them from doing so during my visit. However the lake did produce a single Dalmatian Pelican and White-tailed Eagle....
  • 2017 [05 May] - János Oláh - Hungary & Transylvania

    PDF Report
    The tour itinerary has been changed a few times over the years but nowadays the combination of Hungary and Transylvania seems to be a settled and well established one, and offers an amazing list of European birds.
  • 2017 [05 May] - Terry Stevenson & Lajos Nemeth-Boka - Hungary & Romania

    Report
    As always, the birding included the specials of the region, with Pygmy Cormorant, Dalmatian Pelican, Imperial Eagle, Great Bustard, Black Woodpecker and Wallcreeper being just a few from an impressive list. However, this year we also did absolutely exceptional for mammals, with European Mink being the rarest, but we also had Common 'Golden' Jackal, Wildcat, and no less than 8 Brown Bears.
  • 2017 [06 June] - Colin Richardson - Black Sea Coast & Southern Carpathians

    PDF Report
    My first time there, and its wetlands, forests and new experiences beckoned. Previous late spring trip reports indicated a wealth of interesting wetland breeders, including Great White & Dalmatian Pelicans, Ferruginous Duck, Spoonbill, Squacco Heron, Black-crowned night Heron, Collared Pratincole, Marsh Sandpiper, Great Black-headed Gull and Whiskered Tern
  • 2017 [May] - Simay Gábor - Hungary, Slovakia & Tansylvania

    PDF Report
    ...his tourcoversthree Central European countries and most of their birdhabitats from the Hungarian grasslands to the Slovakian and Romanian spruce forests. This is an extremely productive tour in Europe and can be easily combined with the Romanian Danube DeltaTour for overseas travellers...
  • 2018 [05 May] - Jonathan Lethbridge - Bulgaria & Romania

    PDF Report
    This is a trip report about an unashamedly photographic trip to Eastern Europe - Romania and Bulgaria. I'd birded the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria before, about six years, and vowed to go back as it was simply outstanding. For many reasons I had not managed it until now - it was once again so good that I am trying to find an excuse to go back...
  • 2018 [08 August] - Mark Hows - Danube Delta

    PDF Report
    This was primarily a mammal recording trip with the Dutch Mammal Society (although other taxa were actively recorded). I had done some work with them a few years back and managed to get myself an invite on this trip to the Danube Delta.
  • 2019 [05 May] - Ed Stubbs - Dobregea

    PDF Report
    This report details a five-day trip to the Dobrogea region of Romania – namely Constanța and Tulcea counties – chiefly along the Black Sea coast. The trip was enjoyable, with 145 species logged during a classic European birding break.
  • 2019 [06 June] - Martin Pitt

    PDF Report
    This tour started in the high Carpathians with its limestone massifs and upland species, then headed down to the coastal steppe of Dobrogea and the channels of the Danube Delta. We recorded 175 species of bird, from the upland specialities of Wallcreeper and Nutcracker and a host of interesting mammals, herps, butterflies and odonata. None could forget the evening with the Brown Bears in the forests, but at the other end of the scale, we then found the endearing Sousliks on the steppes.
  • 2021 [04 April] -

    PDF Report
    On arrival, the team – Iliuta, boss of BirdinginRomania and Marius arrive to get me and first stop is Ciuperca Lake a few minutes away...
Places to Stay
  • Bunica Maria

    Accommodation
    "Bunica Maria" is a beautiful property, located 200 meters from the Danube River bank-Sf. Gheorghe Arm, in the village of Mahmudia, a gateway to the Danube Delta, Natural Reserve and bird paradise.
  • Delta Nature Resort

    Accommodation
    Delta Nature Resort offers a night club, an outdoor seasonal pool and a veranda, as well lake views in all rooms in the venue.
Other Links
  • Bird Species in Romania

    Website
    Full list…
  • Birds in the Wild in Romania & beyond

    Website
    Birds in the Wild in Romania & beyond
  • Rare birds of the Carpathian Basin

    Website
    With the support of Sakertour, the Carpathian International Environmental Association and the “Milvus Group” Bird and Nature Protection Association have launched the www.rarebirds.hu webpage in order to unite records of rare bird species recorded in the Carpathian Basin on a single data base.
Blogs
  • Robert Hitter - Pasarile si Lumea Pasarilor

    BLOG
    Last updated August 2016 - After a year I decided to start a new blog, start day, month with something that I like "birdwatching" that gives me satisfaction and pleasure ...
Photographers & Artists
  • Photographer

    Gallery
    A few years ago I've discovered my passion for photography. After some experiences (studio, fashion, portrait, etc) I realized that the wildlife, especially the bird, and travel photography represents me. Romania
  • Photographer – Floriana Andronache - Wildlife from Romania

    Gallery
    Gallery of Romanian birds by Floriana Andronache….

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