The number of cranes spending the night in Hortobágy National Park is steadily increasing: there are currently just over 153,000 cranes in the area, shows the latest data from the national park’s management.
While 102,000 cranes spent the night in Hortobágy (World Heritage Site, cultural landscape in eastern Hungary) at the beginning of October, in just under a week, by October 9, more than 139,000 had been counted. Now, in the third week of October, the count stands at 153,165.
The cranes migrating towards their wintering grounds usually arrive in the Hortobágy plains with the onset of autumn.
During this time, tens of thousands of cranes can be found in the shallow water areas of the Hortobágy National Park.
The Hortobágy grasslands, fishponds, and other wetlands are known as the most populous terrestrial resting sites for migratory species in Europe. Ninety-five percent of the cranes migrating through Hungary pass through Hortobágy and spend months here, reads the Hortobágy National Park Directorate’s website.
Photo: MTI/Czeglédi Zsolt
The exceptionally high numbers may be due to a successful nesting season.
The migration period begins in September, when the weather in the northern breeding areas turns colder, and further cooling causes larger and larger populations to move.
However, it is not really the cold, but the shrinking food base that may be the ultimate trigger.
Photo: MTI/Czeglédi Zsolt
Many factors can influence the formation of migration routes. Social learning from older birds and the amount of food and shallow water habitats available at resting sites are decisive factors in the potential migration routes.
Related article
Record Number of Red-Footed Falcons at the Carpathian Basin’s Largest Roost
From mid-August to early October, the birds gather in flocks and roam the food-rich lowland habitats before embarking on their journey to Africa.Continue reading
Via hnp.hu, Featured image: MTI/Czeglédi Zsolt
The post Stunning Photos Showcase Journey of Cranes Over Hortobágy Wetlands appeared first on Hungary Today.
Source link
