Best birding in Hungary
Kiskunság and Bükk National Park, 7 days

9 woodpecker species including White-backed, Black, Grey-headed, Middle-spotted Woodpecker, as well as Saker Falcon, Imperial Eagle, Great Bustard, Ural Owl, Red-throated Pipit, Collared Pratincole, Moustached Warbler, Penduline Tit, Stone Curlew, Hawfinch await you during this holiday.
Our Hungary trip takes you to the best places in the country, first to the famous “puszta” of Kiskunság and then to the Bükk Hills. Both areas are protected as national parks and are partly or entirely World Heritage sites.
Similarly to Hortobágy, the scenic Kiskunság National Park still preserves parts of the once continuous Eurasian steppe, the so called “puszta”. Bird species found here reflect this special habitat, which is really different to other regions of Europe. The Kiskunság NP hosts one of the biggest populations of Great Bustards in Europe, but has other highlights to offer as well. Alkaline lakes and temporary flooded areas of grassland attract huge numbers of ducks, geese and waders. Species include Ferruginous Duck, Garganey, White-winged Black Tern, thousands of Ruff, Golden Plovers and other migrating shorebirds. We might be able to see Stone-Curlew, Collared Pratincole, Tawny Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and later in May Lesser Grey Shrike, Roller, Golden Oriole and Bee-Eater.
Most of the Bükk Hills is characterized by vast beech woods and open limestone meadows with all the different karst forms produced by erosion such as fissures, sinkholes, underground streams and caverns. It is a perfect area for birding, where raptors soar above the valleys and dense deciduous woodlands provide home for woodland species such as owls, warblers and woodpeckers including Black, White-backed, Grey-headed, Middle Spotted and Syrian.

Day 1
After arriving at Budapest Airport, you will be met by a professional English speaking guide and head towards the Kiskunság National Park. We drive to the sites of the magnificent Great Bustard where some of the birds may already be displaying. We will also search for the world’s second biggest falcon, the Saker! Nearby there is a Red-footed Falcon colony, so chances are good to see this spectacular species, too.
Accommodation: a small family run hotel built in a local style, close to the village of Szabadszállás

Day 2
We continue discovering the Kiskunság NP visiting wet meadows and huge fishponds, excellent for Savi’s and Moustached Warbler, Little Crake, Ferruginous Duck, Spoonbill, Pygmy Cormorant but also for Montagu’s Harrier. Bitterns are heard from the reeds regularly and with a little bit of luck we might see them along with Little Bittern. Whiskered Terns are breeding in good numbers in the area and we have chances for Black and White-winged Black Tern too.
Accommodation: a small family run hotel built in a local style, close to the village of Szabadszállás

Day 3
We continue exploring the steppes and saline lakes of the Kiskunság. Stone-Curlew is on our menu as they are regularly breeding close to our accommodation. We also pay a visit to one of the biggest ringing stations of the country. The reedbeds hold breeding colonies of Spoonbill, Purple, Great White and Night Heron and the area is a good place to see Nightjars. We can also try to attract Corncrakes, and if we decide to search for this elusive bird, we will have a late dinner.
Accommodation: a small family run hotel built in a local style, close to the village of Szabadszállás

Day 4
Today we will visit a fantastic wetland, breeding site of Pygmy Cormorant and Glossy Ibis in some years. Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Night Heron are here in good numbers along with Ferruginous Ducks. We have good chances to see all 3 marsh terns. Black Stork and White-tailed Eagle breed in the gallery forest of the River Tisza and Spotted and Little Crake calls from the reeds this time of the year. Later in the day we travel towards the Eastern part of the country where we will spend 3 nights in an excellent family run hotel, by the foot of the Bükk Hills. It has probably the best cuisine in the region. On our way we check some good sites for Imperial Eagle and Saker Falcon.
Accommodation: Hotel Nomád at Noszvaj

Day 5
We start the day searching for Middle and Syrian Woodpecker in the orchards of the village where Wryneck, Hawfinch and Golden Oriole is also possible. We visit the entrance of Hór Valley where several pairs of Rock Bunting breed in an abandoned quarry. We enter the old beech forests of the hill searching for Grey-headed, Black and the elusive White-backed Woodpecker. The wet mountain meadows hold Corncrake, River Warbler and the dry scrub is inhabited by Barred Warbler. From mid May several pairs of Red-breasted Flycatcher are found here, but Collared Flycatcher and Wood Warbler is singing from earlier on. If time permits we can try to see Ural Owl in appropriate habitats.
Accommodation: Hotel Nomád at Noszvaj

Day 6
We drive to the Southern slopes of the hills to look for Imperial Eagle and Saker. Here we often see Goshawk and Lesser Spotted Eagle too. We have the opportunity to visit the nearby Borsodi Mezőség, the so called Little Hortobágy. It is a wonderful area of wetland and grassland habitats with a healthy population of Imperial Eagle, Saker, Roller, Red-footed Falcon and Lesser Grey Shrike.
Accommodation: Hotel Nomád at Noszvaj

Day 7
We travel to Budapest, birding en route.