Iconic Hungarian Birds: A Practical Field Guide

Great Bustard (Otis tarda)

The Great Bustard is arguably Hungary's most famous bird. Males stand up to a metre tall and can weigh 16 kilograms, putting them among the heaviest flying birds in the world. Their breeding display is one of the most dramatic in the avian world: males inflate their throat sacs, fan their tails, and turn their wing feathers inside out, creating what looks like a large white sphere floating above the grass.

The Hungarian population, part of the broader Carpathian Basin group of around 1,700 birds, is found mainly on the open grasslands of the Hortobagy and Kiskunsag national parks. The birds are resident year-round, though they may make short movements in response to harsh weather. The best time to see the displays is March through early May.

Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)

The Saker Falcon is a large, powerful raptor that breeds on the Hungarian Great Plain. Hungary hosts one of the most important Saker populations in Europe, with around 200-250 breeding pairs concentrated in the eastern part of the country. An intensive nest box programme, where boxes are placed on electricity pylons, has been crucial in maintaining and growing this population.

Sakers hunt ground squirrels, voles, and medium-sized birds across the open steppe. They are resident in Hungary, though young birds may disperse over considerable distances. Spring is the best time to see them, when pairs are active around their nest sites and performing aerial displays. The species is globally endangered, making Hungary's population of particular conservation significance.

European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

Few European birds match the European Roller for sheer visual impact. The brilliant turquoise, azure, and chestnut plumage makes it unmistakable, even at a distance. The species breeds in Hungary from late April through August, favouring the mosaic of grassland and scattered trees found across the southern and eastern plains.

Rollers are cavity nesters, using old woodpecker holes or purpose-built nest boxes. They hunt from exposed perches, dropping to the ground to catch large insects, lizards, and small rodents. Their rolling flight display, for which they are named, involves spectacular mid-air tumbles and spins during the courtship period.

Hungary is one of the best places in Europe to see this species, which has declined sharply in many western countries. The area around Kecskemet and the Kiskunsag is particularly reliable, as is the Hortobagy. Early morning on warm, calm days in June offers the best viewing conditions.

European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)

The Bee-eater is another explosion of colour on the Hungarian plain. With its green, gold, blue, and russet plumage, and its habit of perching in the open on wires and bare branches, it is one of the most photogenic birds in the country. Bee-eaters are colonial nesters, digging tunnel nests into sandy banks and embankments.

They arrive in Hungary in late April or early May and depart by September. As their name suggests, they specialise in catching flying insects, including bees, wasps, dragonflies, and butterflies. They are most easily found along rivers, sandpits, and road cuttings where suitable nesting banks exist. The loess walls of the Tisza River valley and the sandy areas of the Kiskunsag are particularly good spots.

Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus)

This small, elegant falcon breeds in colonies on the Hungarian steppe, typically taking over disused rook or magpie nests in tree lines and windbreaks. Males are a striking dark slate-grey with red feet and vent, while females have an orange crown and underparts with barred upperparts.

Red-footed Falcons are insect specialists, catching dragonflies, beetles, and grasshoppers in agile low-level flights over the grasslands. Hungary, and Hortobagy in particular, is one of the most important breeding areas for this species in Europe. The colony near Ohat, in the northern part of the park, is one of the largest anywhere. They are present from late April through September, with June being the optimal month for observation.

Where to Go: A Quick Comparison

Further Reading

• Complete List of Birds of Hungary on Wikipedia
• Hungarian Birdwatching - Species Accounts
• IUCN Red List - for conservation status information