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Description
Hortobágy National Park has the largest semi-natural grassland in Europe. With 800 km2 it is Hungary's largest protected area. The Old Fishponds are a 2000 hectare fishpond system that is located in the northern part of the national park. The fishpond system has been a nature reserve since the foundation of Hortobágy National Park in 1973. Its birdlife, including breeding and migrating species, is particularly valuable. In the last 35 years, nearly 300 species have been observed here.
You can see many species of ducks, geese, waders, herons, terns and other waterbirds including Balaban, Küçük balaban, Çıkrıkçın, Pasbaş Patka, Alaca Balikçil, Gece Balikçili, Büyük kamışçın, Küçük Karabatak, Kara leylek, Uzunbacak, Kılıçgaga, Kervançulluğu, Çamurçulluğu, Döşüşkenkuş, Kızkuşu and Bıyıklı Sumru. The most spectacular event of the year is the autumn migration of Turna. In October, up to 40 thousand Turna roost simultaneously in the drained fishponds.
Details
Access
The Old Fishponds are located near Hortobágy-Halastó. Access via road No. 33 from Debrecen. Turn to Hortobágy-Halastó on the mainroad 33 close to the 67th milestone and drive until the Halászbárka Information Centre. Press P on the map for directions.
There are excellent opportunities for walking and biking. Bird-watching towers, information boards and a boardwalk are among the available facilities. The area can be visited on foot or by bike with a valid entrance card. The main nature trail can be reached accross a gate next to the Halászbárka Information Centre building and the stands are on the right and left side of the main dyke. The short trip is 3.6 km from the starting point to station Konrad Lorenz (and back). The medium trip is 5.4 km from the starting point to the Pygmy cormorant watching tower (and back). The full trip is 10 km from the starting point to station Festetics Antal (and back).
The area can also be visited by a narrow gauge railway that runs among fishponds. The train runs approximately 5 kilometres along the main dyke. At the terminal, visitors can walk on a 460-metre long boardwalk, and visit the hides along the path and the watch tower.