The Birds of Romania
Tours
It is not easy to find a birding place like Romania in Europe. The official bird list of Romania holds an impressive number of bird species. Until now 395 species of birds have ben sighted on Romanian territory. During our tours we are aiming to see the rare birds that define our country and more. The maximum number of birds seen during one of our tours was 210. This is possible only in April when bird migration holds a lot of surprises for the visitor.
Below you can read about the most representative birds you can see during our tours and get a rough idea about the richness of Romanian bird life. The population of birds estimate is usually representing the breeding exemplars, the real number of birds might be higher.
You can download some bird check lists for your birding trip in the Birds of Romania Checklist Tab. The bird lists are available in English, German, French, Dutch, Swedish Italian and Romanian. You can also customize the bird lists by choosing the period, language and days. The bird lists are printable so when you come to Romania you can start ticking…
The birds of Romania
Bee Eater | European Roller | Pigmy Cormorant |
| Merops apiaster | Coracias garrulus | Phalacrocorax pygmeus |
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| Population: 30.000 | Population: 5000 | Population: 20000 |
| It is one of the most common birds on the Dobrogea plateau nesting in fairly large colonies dug in the loess cliff. This is amongst the most colorfull birds of Romania | A bird that became rare in Europe is here a commune bird with hundreds of pairs breeding in the lowlands and the largest population to be found in Danube Delta | The Pigmy Cormorant is one of the rarest in the world but the largest population can be found in the Danube Delta where it is fairly common. If you want to see one of these you know where to go. |
Red-breasted Geese | Red-necked Grebe | Black-necked Grebe |
| Branta ruficollis | Podiceps grisegena | Podiceps nigricollis |
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| Population: 75.000 | Population: 6.000 | Population: 7000 |
| The most exotic of all European geese comes in Dobrogea and the nearby lagoons for wintering. Some years almost 90% of world population can be found here. | In the Danube Delta there is to be found one of the largest populations in Europe. This grebe is a common sight on many lakes and canals. | The most spectacular Grebe in Romania is a resident bird and is nesting in various parts of the country but it also winters in large flocks on the Black Sea coast. |
Red-crested Pochard | Ferruginous Duck | Caspian Tern |
| Netta rufina | Aythya nyroca | Sterna caspia |
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| Population: 500 | Population: 8000 | Population: 800 |
| In summer it is not so easy to spot it but in winter the northern populations concentrate on lakes in the delta putting on a spectacular show for the visitor. | This bird is a E European specialty and the largest population can be found here in Danube Delta where it stays all year long. Birds Romania | A migratory bird found in the Danube Delta from August to October and during the spring migration. Flocks can be observed on sea side too. |
Marsh Sandpiper | Little Bittern | Glossy Ibis |
| Tringa stagnatilis | Ixobrichus minutus | Plegadis falcinellus |
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| Population: 2000 | Population: 3.500 | Population: 5000 |
| Hundreds of individuals are to be seen during spring and autumn migration in the brackish marshes of the Danube Delta, this bird is considered very rare in the rest of Europe. | This heron can be found in almost all the marshes of Romania but probably the largest population in Europe is to be found in Danube Delta. | During the warm season this is one of the most common birds in the Delta, breading in mix colonies together with Herons and Cormorants. |
Dalmatian Pelican | White Pelican | Great Black-headed Gull |
| Pelecanus crispus | Pelecanus onocrotalus | Larus ichthyaetus |
 |  |  |
| Population: 800 | Population: 7000 | Population: 200 |
| The largest and rarest pelican in the world is still enjoying the natural habitat of the delta where it can be found from February to December. | Danube Delta holds the largest colony outside Africa and with it's 7000 estimated individuals is almost the only place in Europe where this pelican can be spotted in the wild. | Although a rare bird this large gull can be spotted in various places around the Delta and on the Black Sea shore. Some exemplars winter in the Histria - Sinoe lagoon area. |
Collard Pratincole | Bluethroats | Black-headed Wagtail |
| Glareola pratincola | Luscinia svecica | Motacilla flava feldeg |
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| Population: 800 | Population: 50 | Population: 20.000 |
| This spectacular bird can be found here in large colonies and also in huge flocks before autumn migration, catching insects in Histria - Vadu area. | This fantastic singer is to be found in few areas of the Delta and is easy to spot during the spring breeding season. | A few years ago it was declared as a separate species. This beautiful wagtail is a commune bird around the lagunes and salt marshes of Histria and Vadu. |
Short-toed Lark | Calandra Lark | Ortolan |
| Calandrella brachydactyla | Melanocorypha calandra | Emberiza hortulana |
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| Population: 15.000 | Population: 80.000 | Population: 35.000 |
| One of the smallest larks around is filling with it's song the ponto-sarmatic steps of Dobrogea. Easy to spot from April to August. | With it's large bill and black under-wing this lark is hard to miss. Thousands of birds can be seen on Dobrogea's fields all year long. In winter they flock like Starlings. | Dobrogea would be a monotonous place without the song of the Ortolan. The higher plateaus and the Macin Mountains National Park are some of it's favorite places. |
Isabelline Wheatear | Pied Wheatear | Spanish Sparrow |
| Oenanthe isablellina | Oenanthe pleschanka | Passer hispaniolensis |
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| Population:200 | Population: 2500 | Population: 1.000.000 |
| One of the only wheatears breeding in the ground. They can be found in some valleys taking over the nests of Suslik (Spermophylus citellus) | A wheatear with a spectacular plumage and quite hard to find. For finding this bird you will need the help of a local guide. | Many tourists don't expect to see a "spanish" bird in Romania but surprisingly this is a fairly commune sight especially in the White Stork nests. |
Alpine Accentor | Rose-colored Starling | Paddyfield Warbler |
| Prunella collaris | Sturnus roseus | Acrocephalus agricola |
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| Population: 2000 | Population: 0-30.000 | Population: 120.000 |
| A bird to be found on the alpine meadows and highest tops of the Carpathians this bird is not so easy to see. Usually it requires a bit of walking till it-s breeding place is reached. | During hot and dry years when the amount of grasshoppers is increasing this bird can be found breeding in large colonies located usually in abandoned quarries. | In the salt marshes of Histria and Vadu this warbler is not too hard to miss. It is easier to spot during the breeding season while singing. |
Barred Warbler | Long-legged Buzzard | Levant Sparrowhawk |
| Sylvia nisoria | Buteo rufinus | Accipiter brevipes |
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| Population: 50.000 | Population: 200 | Population: 180 |
| A great bird to see and another Eastern European specialty easy to find in Dobrogea's bushes. | One of the largest buzzards of Europe is the most commune bird of pray in Dobrogea. It usually builds it's nest on cliffs and is easier to see in Macin Mountains National Park. Birds Romania | The rare Sparrowhawk is not easy to find but with a competent guide it shouldn't be a problem. It can be seen from May to September catching lizards in Dobrogea. |
Spotted Eagle | Lesser-spotted Eagle | Saker Falcon |
| Aquila clanga | Aquila pomarina | Falco cherrug |
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| Population: 30-40 | Population: 50 | Population: 6? |
| A winter visitor to the Danube Delta. This extremely rare bird can be spotted near lakes where water fowl concentrates during the cold season. It is estimated that up to 40 individuals return every year. | To be found in more parts of Romania this eagle is a great bird to see as sometimes it approaches the road side in search of food. | Going towards extinction the largest falcon of Romania is not a easy to spot bird. With only 3 or less pairs left this is the rarest bird of Romania. It can be spotted if accompanied by a guide. |
Red-footed Falcon | White-tailed Eagle | Booted Eagle |
| Falco vespertinus | Haliaeetus albicilla | Hieraaetus pennatus |
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| Population: 900 | Population: 50 | Population: 80 |
| The expression "flocks of falcons" is not so easy to imagine as being true but here in the Delta and Dobrogea you can be amazed by the colonies they form in huge rookeries. Birds Romania | The largest eagle of Europe is a bird to be found in Danube Delta all year long. In winter the northern population moves to the area and sometimes 10 or more individuals can be spotted around lakes with bird agglomerations. | A Dobrogea hunter the smallest eagle of Europe is highly specialized in catching Susliks (Spermophylus Citellus) abundant on the dry steppes. |
Syrian Woodpecker | Gray-headed Wp. | Black Woodpecker |
| Dendrocopos Syriacus | Picus canus | Dryocopus martius |
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| Population: 150.000 | Population: 70.000 | Population: 15.000 |
| Another E European specialty this woodpecker can be found in almost all the villages of Dobrogea and Danube Delta but also in the rest of the country. | Easily confused with the Green Woodpecker this woodpecker is one of the loudest of them all. It can be found all over the country but a large population is nesting in Danube Delta. | From the highest points of the Carpathians to the lowlands of the Delta this woodpecker is easy to see especially during the breeding season. |
Ural Owl | Thrush Nightingale | Lesser Gray Shrike |
| Strix uralensis | Luscinia luscinia | Lanius minor |
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| Population: 800 | Population: 120.000 | Population: 150.00 |
| This is a bird for the specialist as it is not a very rare one but it requires a lot of walking on steep trails in the Carpathians in order to reach the breeding places. | The sound of this nightingale is hard to miss and the Danube Delta wouldn't be the same without it. Birds Romania | The largest population of Europe is nesting in Romania and this bird can be found nesting in poplars by the side of the road. Easy to see from mid April to September. |
Red-breasted Flycatcher | Cuckoo | |
| Ficedula parva | Cuculus canorus | |
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| Population: 50.000 | Population: 300.000 | |
| During spring migration hundreds of birds migrate through Dobrogea and Danube Delta. Few breeding exemplars remain in the forests of Dobrogea and the oak forests of the Delta - Letea and Caraorman. | With such richness of passerines it would be impossible not to have the largest population of Cuckoo in Europe. During spring hundreds can be heard while traveling in the Delta and Dobrogea. | |
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