Debrecen4U
April 21, 2026
Aquatic Warbler Rediscovered in Hortobágy After 14 Years
A significant ornithological event has taken place in the Hortobágy region on 20 April near Nagyiván, where bird ringers captured an aquatic warbler, according to the Hortobágy Nature Conservation Association. The aquatic warbler disappeared from Hungary’s breeding bird species in 2011; its last confirmed nesting was also recorded near Nagyiván, in the area of the Kunkápolnás Marsh, where the current sighting occurred. The bird had already been ringed and tagged by Spanish colleagues during migration. The ringing data are not yet available.
As the association notes, the aquatic warbler is one of Europe’s most endangered songbirds: approximately 95 per cent of its population has disappeared over the past century, and fewer than 50 breeding populations are known worldwide. The exact reasons for the species’ decline are not fully understood, but changes along migration routes or in wintering areas may have played a role. In Hungary, it was last observed in April 2020, first in Tihany and then in Csorna.
Part of an international conservation programme
The current sighting is particularly encouraging in light of an ongoing nine-year international conservation programme aimed at supporting the species’ return, in which Hungary is also participating. The national programme is coordinated by the Hortobágy Nature Conservation Association. Within the framework of the LIFE Aquatic Warbler Project, experts from four additional countries—Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine—are working together to halt the species’ decline and restore its habitats.
As part of the programme, the condition of several thousand hectares of wetland is being improved, and the reintroduction of young birds into the project area near Nagyiván is planned for 2030.
Until then, habitat restoration work is the primary focus, including nature-friendly grazing, mowing and water management interventions, so that the saline meadows can once again provide suitable breeding grounds for the species.
Why did the ringing take place now?
Targeted monitoring and ringing of migratory birds are being carried out within the framework of the nine-year LIFE Aquatic Warbler project. The timing was determined by experts based on an analysis of previous capture data from the Carpathian Basin. According to the available data, migratory individuals are more likely to be detected during this period, which is why targeted monitoring was organised at this time.
Why the Nagyiván area?
The study site was located in the southern part of Kunkápolnás Marsh, which is among the species’ traditional breeding areas, and where the last known nesting in Hungary also occurred. The area’s mosaic of saline, sedge-dominated wetlands may provide an ideal habitat for the species.
According to experts, the southern part of Kunkápolnás Marsh may serve as a natural passage route for migratory birds, making it particularly suitable for detecting the species. Interestingly, an internationally ringed bird had previously been identified in the same area: a young bird ringed in Spain on 9 August 2008 was observed several times in 2010 near Nagyiván, in the vicinity of the Kotán Stream, by Gábor Kovács. This bird likely bred in the area, highlighting the region’s international importance in the species’ life cycle.
Research conducted using an international methodology
During this year’s survey, experts applied the standardised ringing protocol developed within the LIFE AWOM Project. This involved setting up units of three nets in a row, with two additional similar units placed at least 50 metres apart, each using acoustic lures. The method aims to increase the likelihood of detecting migratory birds and to provide comparable data at an international level.
Although the appearance of a single individual does not yet indicate the species’ re-establishment, the current sighting is an important sign that the Hortobágy region may continue to play a key role in the future of one of Europe’s rarest songbirds.
Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Debrecen városa (Facebook)
