Hortobágy

Aerial view of the Hortobágy Fishponds

Hortobágy

  • Country: 
    Hungary
  • Site number: 
    189
  • Area: 
    32,037 ha
  • Designation date: 
    11-04-1979
  • Coordinates: 
    47°32'N 20°57'E
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Overview

The Site is composed of four separate sectors of the extensive Hortobágy Steppe which include an alkaline wetland complex formed by artificial fishponds, a reconstructed swamp system, part of a dam, islands, woodland and mudflats, extensive grassland, and marshland areas. All the sectors support extensive reed and Nymphaea beds. The plant communities preserve remnant populations of formerly widespread species such as Phlomis tuberosa, a characteristic species of loess grasslands, and Plantago schwarzenbergiana, which is endemic to alkaline steppes in the eastern half of Carpathian Basin. The area is important for the breeding, wintering and staging of many migratory waterbird species, including the globally threatened lesser white-fronted goose Anser erythropus. It is also an important freshwater reservoir and plays an important role in flood regulation. Human activities include large-scale intensive fish production and reed harvesting. A field research station and several observation hides are available for birdwatching, though public access is strictly controlled. The main threats to the Site are posed by the intensive fish farming and the fluctuations in the water level due to artificial water management.

Administrative region: 
(1) County of Hajdú-Bihar, (2) Middle Part of Kisköre Reservoir and Northern Part of Kisköre Reservoir are located in County of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, (3) Most of Kunkápolnás Marsh is also located in County of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok

  • Global international designation: 
    • World Heritage site
    • UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
  • National legal designation: 
    • bird reserve - Tiszafüred Bird Reserve
    • national park
  • Regional (international) legal designations: 
    • EU Natura 2000
  • Last publication date: 
    08-11-2016

Downloads

Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)

Additional reports and documents