The milder temperatures, the silence in the village of Sfântu Gheorghe and the hustle and bustle of birds preparing for the Great Migration are some reasons to come this autumn to the Danube Delta.
In autumn, the birds that stay in Romania prepare for the winter, and those that migrate pack their bags for the long journey to Africa or southern Europe.
In the months of October and November, you will also be able to observe in passing the species that cross the territory of Romania on their way to their wintering grounds: the great plover, the little plover, the great collared prundar, the green-legged whistler, the shore sitar.
Among the birds that leave Romania in the autumn months, you can meet the little cormorant, the little heron, the night heron, the yellow heron, the little egret, the white stork, the gypsy, the shoveler, the quack duck, the red duck, the common pelican.
And among the species that come to the Danube Delta for the winter, you will find the red-necked goose, the whistling duck, the velvet duck (a very rare presence), the winter swan, the little swan.
Among the sedentary species, you will have the chance to see the Great Tit, the Blue Tit, the Tickle, the Blackbird, the Laughing Gull, the Great Tit, the Reed Tit, the Reed Warbler, the Blackbird, the Blackbird or the Florins.
How can you identify the birds present in the Danube Delta?
The great merganser (Anser albifrons) is a large goose with gray to brown plumage and a distinguishing mark: a white spot at the base of the pink bill. The chest is also white, and the wings and tail are dark. The great grebe has a body length of 64-78 cm and a wingspan of between 130-160 cm.
The gypsy (Plegadis falcinellus) is a medium-sized bird species. It is distinguished by its green plumage with a metallic reflection and its long, downward-curving beak. The gypsy has a body length of 55-65 cm and a wingspan of 88-105 cm.
The shorebird (Limosa limosa) is a medium-sized bird species. In winter, the head, neck and chest have a gray plumage, and on the abdomen it is grayish-white. The beak is long and slender with a pink base and black tip, and the legs are long and black.
The mallard (Spatula querquedula) is a small bird species that has a distinguishing mark: a white stripe in males and brown in females. The mallard is 34–41 cm long (almost as long as a pigeon).
The little heron (Ixobrychus minutus) is a small heron species with dark (black-brown) plumage, a light yellowish chest patch, a yellow bill and greenish-yellow legs. The little heron has a length of 27 – 38 cm and a wingspan of 40 – 58 cm.
The large crocodile (Podiceps cristatus) is distinguished by the tuft of orange color on the side and black on the top of the head that resembles a fan. The large crocodile has a body length of 46-51 cm with a wingspan of 59-73 cm.
During the autumn months, you will always be accompanied by the birds of Delta Danube during your boat trips. Get your binoculars, the list of birds you can observe in the summer months and come to the Danube Delta!
