10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 16, 2014

While there are some two dozen birding spots in Belgrade, Serbia, that stand out, in this guideblog I will focus on the river Danube and its floodplain, inside the Important Bird Area “Confluence of the Sava and the Danube Rivers”. While regular in winter, Pygmy Cormorants do not breed in the vicinity and are absent in spring and summer.

Serbia 231

Serbia Ducks Birds Eagles 231

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2018

As you know, I started to bird from a canoe, exploring the Danube backwaters in Belgrade, Serbia. And that was the time when all 400 km2 were still open to annual rhythms of flooding and represented a famous waterbird hunting ground. Nevertheless, Nagy was right. Among the common species, Nagy mentions the Corn Crake.

Beavers 119

Beavers Serbia Hungary Eagles 119

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2013

In short, the accepted view used to be that a small breeding population of Egyptian Vultures inhabited Southern Africa, but has vanished facing the spread of towns, roads and farms. During my lifetime, this species was rare in my native Serbia, too. Reasons for this situation are numerous.

Sudan 223

Sudan Macedonia Botswana Serbia 223

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

Marshes are the habitats with the greatest species richness in moderate zones, also significant as breeding, wintering and migratory stopover sites for birds; it therefore comes as no surprise that this one is among the 10,000 Important Bird Areas of the World (one per each bird species?). Saxicola rubetra.

Greece 188

Greece Serbia Hunters Cows 188

10,000 Birds

MAY 25, 2017

They do not breed, only winter here! Widespread across northern regions of northern hemisphere, they breed in Arctic-Alpine forest zone. Widespread across northern regions of northern hemisphere, they breed in Arctic-Alpine forest zone. What are they doing this far south at this time of year? And the birds moved to the island.

Montenegro 106

Montenegro Serbia Eagles Eggs 106

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2016

For example, I simply cannot comprehend how such seemingly common species such as the Common Pochard (yes, for the third time, the common), still allowed for shooting in Serbia and many other countries, found its way into the Red List of Threatened Species. Disturbance on breeding grounds (e.g. Lesser White-fronted Goose by Ingar Oien.

Montenegro 200

Montenegro Serbia Greece Bulgaria 200

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2021

The White-tailed Eagle is one of the easiest birds to observe in Belgrade, Serbia (almost guaranteed). One pair even breeds on the island at the very confluence of the Sava and the Danube rivers, less than a mile from the central city square. There are about ten pairs around the city.

Eagles 263

Eagles Bald Eagle Eggs Serbia 263

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

What the Owl Knows is organized into nine chapters: introduction, adaptation (including vision and flight), research and researchers, vocalization, courtship and breeding, roosting and migration, cognition, and two chapters on owls and humans–captive owls (not zoos, educational owls) and owls in our cultural history.

Owls 207

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 207