The Danube Delta  Europe's Newest Land

For more great things to do, see also County Tulcea and the Dobrogea region

Danube Delta Dragonfly The Gompus Flavipes, a splash of colour

Ducks on the Danube Delta Floating with nary a care in the world

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA

 Europe's Riparian Riches

The Delta hosts 1689 varieties of plants and 3448 species of animals, of which 325 are birds and 125 are fish, over half of Europe's total fish species!  Indeed a natural wonderland!

The Danube Delta has been entered onto the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites (1991) and Biosphere reserves. Around 2,733 km˛ of it are strictly protected area, and as a nation, Romanian's are very proud of their unique and treasured delta.

Alighting here annually are millions of birds from all points of the compass (European, Asian, African, Mediterranean), where they come to rest, feed, nest, mate and hatch in the long season.

The Wildlife Paradise of the Delta

The Danube Delta, "one of the last sanctuaries of nature" is often called the wild paradise. In an area with a surface of 4,200 sq. km, the presence of 3,400 species of the aquatic fauna has been recorded so far, amounting to 98 percent of the European species.

The little plauri islands shelter rich fauna, and riverine forests with willows and poplars host a rich diversity of mammals including the fascinating raccoon dog, minks, otters, the black-bellied fox and more. 

 A diverse palette of sandy beaches, muddy beaches, wet and dry meadows, rocky regions and sand flats are dotted with de facto islands with dense forests and meadows.

As a result of efforts by Jacques Cousteau among others, and with UNESCO support, the importance of the Danube Delta as a "wild area" was recognised in its consecration as a Biosphere Reservation.

 Migration Haven

From Mongolia to Norway, Finland to Africa, the Danube Delta is an important stopping-off point at the intersection of major migration routes across Europe, Africa and Asia.  The Danube Delta hosts the largest congregation of pelicans outside of Africa each year.

Out of the 325 bird species recorded in the Danube Delta, 177 nest here, some which protected by law, including the White and Dalmatian Pelicans, the Great White and Little Egrets, the Mute Swan, Red Breasted Goose, Ferruginous Duck, Avocet and many other species.

Birds here come from near and far, from the local white-tailed and gray-bald eagles, to seagulls, nightingales, and the Danubian Falcon.  

As far as Mongolia come the common pelicans, as well as Dalmatian pelicans and pygmy cormorants, with egrets, swans, spoonbills coming in from China.  Further north, the arctic red-breasted goose arrives in the Delta each year, as does the Siberian singing swan, black duck and the rather stately Siberian cranes.

The Dalmatian Pelican The Pelecanus crispus on the wing and in the nest in the Danube Delta.

Photos:  dalmatianpelican.ro

The White-Tailed Eagle The Danube Delta's king of the skies purveys today's catches

Pygmy Cormorants Enjoying a fishing perch

Spoonbill Chicks Happy in their sheltered Danube Delta reed bed nests

Photo:  ARBDD

 Birding in the Danube Delta

Rather interestingly, there are green signs in each village which tell bird-watchers the particular species to expect in the area.   This, and a network of 65 viewing platforms built throughout the villages of the delta, make the area a birding-friendly zone indeed!

Going in to the rich habitat of the Danube Delta, your birding expedition will be hosted by an entourage of Common Terns, Red-Footed Falcons, White Wagtails and veritable clouds of Rollers and Cuckoos. 

With your first view of an adult White-Tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) on one of the forested Haşmac islands covered with oaks and elm trees swooping down on a little water snake or other prey, you will know you have indeed come to the right place!   Whilst at home along the Black Sea margins, the White-Tailed Eagle particularly favours the Romanian Danube River Delta for it's rich prey opportunities.

Where the marshes are shallow, you will delight in the Squacco Herons, Great White Egret (Egretta alba), Little egret (Egretta garzetta), and the stunning golden and verdigris sheen of the Glossy Ibis along the way.  

Look the other way and observe flyovers in one of the most congested air corridors on the planet.   Rumour has it that on of the signature birds of the Delta, the pygmy cormorants (Phalacrocorax pygmaeus), are actually in charge of air traffic control here!

 By River or By Road

To boat or not to boat is a valid question when considering a birding holiday.  Roads to lead south from Tulcea along the Danube Delta Margin villages, offering plenty of bird-watching opportunities. 

Let's face it, not everyone loves being on a boat, so several organised tours can take you south and south-west from Tulcea via maxi-taxi, car or bus to Murighiol, Badabag and even as far south as Istria, where you can still catch some great species, and not have to leave (mostly) dry land.

The marginal lands around Enisala, in particular just north of the old citadel of Heracleia there have some fun birding opportunities.  There is some sort of bee-keeper commune near that citadel, which results in tonnes of bee-eaters swarming the area.   Warblers, waders and terns love this marginal area, as do the various geese, herons and as always, pelicans, depending on their mood and season.

TOP TIP:  If you want to spend some time in this area, check out the Gura Portiţei mini-resort, 15km across the lake and next to the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve.

If you do prefer to explore by boat, other than one of the organised tours or floating hotels, renting a boat from a local fisherman is indeed generally cost-effective and can be a quick and easy way to get out into those reed-beds.

Often times, the guy will have a son who will take you out to the good spots for a relatively small sum (maybe ) when compared with the cost of organised birding expeditions. 

 Welcome to Pygmy World!

 In fact, over half of the planet's cormorants congregate in cacophonous clouds over the Danube Delta's rich feeding grounds.

Sixty percent of the world's pygmy cormorants come to the Baltic nations' prime wetlands each year, covering the sky and water with their lustrous black plumage.   The rather splendid Red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis) is another signature bird for the delta with almost all of the world's threatened species (about 55,000) wintering in the delta each year.

Depending on the year, the Danube Delta can host over 750,000 white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons), although that can wane dramatically on "off" years.  Much fewer are the 500 or so lesser white-fronted goose (A. erythropus) seen in the delta lands.  

You'll hear the songs of the Golden Oriole, Common Redstart and  at your breakfast table as you gaze across to a Grey-headed Woodpecker or a Black Woodpecker perching on a nearby riverbank cottonwood tree.   Be quick to turn as from the corner of your eye you see the bright turquoise flash of a little Kingfisher, the whir of wings of the Eurasian Hobbies and check the trees for Penduline Tits and Grey Bitterns as you make your way through the channels of the Delta.

 The Waterfowl

The more you penetrate into the reed bed areas, the more waterbirds you will delight in seeing.   Red-necked Grebes will be as common as the reeds themselves, joined by the odd Little Grebe, Coots, Moorhens, Black winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) along with Greylag Geese, and enough ducks to keep things lively.

Depending on the time of year you decide to enjoy the delta, breeding plumage can be seen on the Black-crowned Night Herons, and almost as if Walt Disney had placed them there to delight you on a fake Danube Delta fun ride, the Pygmy and Great Cormorants will sit on the branches overhanging the little channel you are chugging along, completely unphased by you gawking at them, with Grey Herons and Purple Herons popping up alongside the boat regarding you more as an annoyance than a threat.  This is indeed bird-land, and you are the interloper here!

In fact, if you are a Disney fan, you may be interested to note that the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund (DWCF) helped to build a retaining wall for one of the pelican habitats in the delta, at Lake Sinoe. 

Sometimes boats follow each other through some of the side canals, so if you are indeed an avid birder, do ensure you're in the first boat, because that is the one which often causes birds to take flight.  You don't want anything to interfere with seeing a few Red-crested Pochards, Ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) or Red-necked Grebes or Water Rails off the bow.   In addition to the larger iconic White-Tailed Eagle, you can also see the Lesser Spotted Eagle and Honey Buzzard too.

Observation Tower Perfect for birding, one of dozens of towers, this one near Murighiol

Photo: webshots

 Pelicanworld

The Haşmac of Letea is home to Europe's largest nesting colony of White pelican (Pelecanus onocratulus),  with 2,500 pairs comprising 50% of the Palaearctic breeding population. 

Depending on the weather conditions and area of the delta, you may or may not see pelicans, as they do tend to move about depending on whether there has been recent flooding, the season, and seemingly, just their moods.

If only life were as kind to the Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) as the more numerous White cousin.  Surveys in 2005 and 2006 counted only 150 pairs, perhaps now there are only 25-40 pairs on the floating islands on lake Hrecisca, which represents 5% of the world population.    

Main habitats for the Dalmatian Pelican in the Danube Delta are Roşca-Buhaiova, Lejai Lake, Goloviţa-Bisericuţa, Sinoie-Ceaplace Isle, and the Sinoie-Prundul cu Păsări Isles.  The little island of Ceaplace is home to what was the third largest colony in Europe.  Wave erosion had robbed the 1200 or so nesting pairs of much of the island's area, and conservation work (a series of wood retaining walls) has helped to slow the decline in nesting habitat.  Do ask locally if you would like to see these pelicans.

See more at the Dalmatian Pelican website for more info

See More on Tours and Transportation for the Delta Here

Crazy Catfish Catches! Live bait and a few minutes of your time can net a truly pleasing fish for the photos!

Photo:  Cătălin Stoenescu

Fisherman and Guide Finding the best spots in the Danube Delta

The Mighty Sturgeon Lurking just under your boat, this fabulous creature is a favourite of the locals and tourists alike.  Get one -- they're great!

One Fish, Two Fish

Red fish, blue fish, you'll see them all in a region which boasts more than half of all of Europe's fish species!

After the birds of the Delta come the 75 species of fish, as the blue of the sky and the green of the water meet to form the two halves of the Danube Delta biosphere!

 Pike and Pike Perch

Pike (Esox Lucius)

The Danube Delta pike enjoy the open water of Fortuna Lake, the Sontea channel, and around Holbina, most numerous from early July through to late November.   You can usually manage around 1 kilo catches, although in late summer for some reason, 2 and 3 kilos is not unusual.

Pike Perch (Lucioperca Lucioperca)

The Pike Perch of the delta are best found around the Number Five Canal, as well as Lake Sinoe and out towards the coastal village of Sfantu Gheorghe -- the perfect excuse for picking up a bit of local culture with your fishing trip.   Pike Perch are best to find when the sun is high and the temperatures hot, although any time from June to September can see reasonable catches of 2 to some whoppers up to 5 kilos. 

 Carp (Cyprinus Carpio)

When the water heats up, this European delicacy starts to feed in earnest, resulting in some big catches -- perfect for the photos to e-mail back home!

As with the Pike and Pike Perch, the local carp also favour the Sontea channel and out along the Sfantu Gheorghe arm of the river, any time from the beginning of the true summer season in July through to early autumn months.  You can count on plenty of fish to feed the masses with these behemoths, averaging two to 18 kilos.   Bring help to lift them!

 The Giant Catfish (Silurus Glanis)

Catching catfish is hardly for the faint-hearted.  The things are huge, and unless you have good practice with deep-sea fishing for marlin, it can be quite a surprise when you have something over 200kg on the other end of your line.

The catfish are capable of swallowing ducks whole, and at night, the vile fish can be heard slurping and sucking down their latest avian prey.

However, as anyone from the Mississippi Delta can tell you, catfish are indeed delicious properly prepared.  Your best bet is on board the floating hotels of the delta, which despite their compact kitchens, manage to serve up some of the best and most approriate treatments for their local fresh catches. 

If you're fishing check out the best catfish spots along the Sfântu Gheorghe arm of the river.

With one of the longest seasons of any delta fish, you can get your catfish early -- really any time the daytime temps are over the 10C range, from  April through October, although early summer can be a bit thin.  Average catches range from three to 25 kilos.  

 Like a Sturgeon

Getting caught for the very first time, the sturgeon in your net is likely to be a big fella!

There is one fish larger than the catfish: sturgeon. The biggest is the beluga, famed for its eggs, or caviar. Nowadays sturgeon are rare, but this is not due to the fishermen, it is a consequence of the many dams and sources of pollution further up the Danube.

Sturgeon populations and conditions are routinely monitored by programs under several organisational umbrellas, including the Sturgeon Research Group (SRG), the World Conservation Union (IUCN), and the Danube Delta National Institute (DDNI) in Tulcea.

Lazy Sand Lizard On the sands of the Danube Delta

Photos: joostmg on Webshots

The Happy House Snake Known as grass snakes to Westerners

Photo:  G Iosob

Danube Delta Golden Frog The Hyla Arborea on a Danube Delta reed

A Handsome Toad We saw this sartorial fellow in Sulina on a mud flat, and couldn't resist a quick photo.  Let us know the species if you know, thanks.

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA

Amphibians and Reptiles

With over 20 species of amphibians and reptiles, there are few niches not occupied by those of the cold-blooded persuasion!

Reptiles have a veritable field day (or swamp day) in the Danube Delta lands with common grass snake (Natrix natrix, or "House Snake" in Romanian) and the perky dice snake (Natrix tessellata).   In dryer areas, there is even a genuine viper keeping down the mouse population (and bird chicks!), the Steppe Viper.

The cowboy of the turtle world, the spur–thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca, to right) making many an appearance, as well as the almost alien looking European pond terrapin (Emys orbicularis).   If you're a lizard afficionado, you'll be spoilt for choice, especially on the riparian zones around the forested islands.

Amphibian Thumbnails:  ARBDD

Swamp Snakes

The Steppe Viper of the Danube Delta (vipera ursini) is a formidable fellow with a short conical tail and a fat short body, only up to long.

Enjoying sunny spots, the viper can be found in rocky or brambly areas, and can become agitated and whistles, sudden movements and vibrations, so be careful as the bite can be deadly!

In the Danube Delta, the Steppe Viper enjoys the toads, lizards and grasshoppers which are so common there, with the odd mouse, bird chick and even small birds.   Whilst the viper is not particularly aggressive, do take care when trekking through the forested island zones in particular at Letea, Grindu Portiţa, and Caraorman.  Sightings have been reported too at Periprava, Enisala, Murighiol, and in the Dobrogean Highlands at Babadag.

It likes mostly the steppic biogeographic zones in Romania, but can also be found in field margins, and in dense thickets.

The little house snake (called a grass snake outside Romania), is a happy little visitor common across most of the delta habitats. 

Feeding on fish, tadpoles, and sometimes frogs, all of the Danube Delta snakes are at home in the channels, lakes and swamps.  They're not poisonous, but close proximity should be avoided as they can emit a rather nasty little smell which will make you run the other way if you still can after losing your lunch.

A Dicey Proposition

Although having a wide distribution throughout the Balkans and Europe, the cousin to the house snake, the Dice Snake could not be more at home than in the Danube Delta of Romania!   A protected vulnerable species throughout the reserve areas, the Dice Snake feeds on delta fish and amphibians mostly, and can grow to over a metre long. 

Spotting one can be a task, because it's colour can range from near-black up into the greys, brownish-blacks and dark greens.  But turn one over, and you'll notice the tell-tale black spots across an orangey-yellow background, an effect which gives the delta animal it's name.

You might mistake the snake for a dead branch too, as it has a curious habit of playing dead if you happen upon it suddenly.   Early in the year, the Danube Delta snakes mate, and you can find them in great writhing clumps on the banks of the Danube Delta channels, where they hibernate in dry holes during the winter months.

Tortoises

The Eurasian Spur-thighed Tortoise (Broasca testoasă de uscat, or "Eurasian Tortoise", in latin, Testudo graeca ibera) is one of the Danube Delta's most formidable amphibians.

Romania and Bulgaria grow the largest of this wide-ranging subspecies, in rare cases, up to 7kg for the larger females! 

Each spring, the tortoises of the Danube Delta emerge from their winter hibernation with one thing on their little minds:  mating.   Males pester the females for days, and you can see the amusing little courtship rituals along the river banks and in forested clearings through April and May. 

Once Mrs. Eurasian Tortoise is ready to lay her eggs, you have got to be careful to stay away from her, as she gets bizarrely aggressive, and will have no problems coming at you and snapping at you. 

Jumpin' Jehosaphat!

Fire-bellied Toads may not appear on the Manhattan supper club menu, but in the Danube Delta, fishermen make the most of what they catch, and frogs are indeed used gastronomically in the region.