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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2002 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Greylag Goose Anser anser	LC	passage (2001)	2,500 birds	C3
Bean Goose Anser fabalis	LC	passage (2001)	5,000–6,000 birds	C3
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons	LC	passage (2001)	10,000–20,000 birds	C3
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	passage (2001)	40–110 birds	C1
Smew Mergellus albellus	LC	winter (2001)	250–600 birds	C2
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca	NT	breeding (2001)	70–140 pairs	C1, C6
Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata	LC	passage (2001)	5,000 birds	C3
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	passage (2001)	30,000 birds	C3
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana	LC	breeding (2001)	80–190 pairs	C2
Common Crane Grus grus	LC	passage (2001)	45,000–65,000 birds	C2
Great Bustard Otis tarda	EN	breeding (2001)	80–90 birds	C1, C6
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding (2001)	260–420 pairs	C2, C6
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	breeding (2001)	10–15 pairs	C6
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris	LC	breeding (2001)	220–310 pairs	C2, C6
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	LC	breeding (2001)	190–250 pairs	C2, C6
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	breeding (2001)	430–800 pairs	C2
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding (2001)	45–75 pairs	C2, C6
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	breeding (2001)	100–270 pairs	C2, C6
Great White Egret Ardea alba	LC	breeding (2001)	700–900 pairs	C2, C6
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding (2001)	70–175 pairs	C6
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	breeding (2001)	80–150 pairs	C1, C6
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	passage (2001)	850 birds	C1
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	breeding (2001)	15–60 pairs	C6
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris	CR	passage (2001)	1 birds	C1
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa	NT	passage (2001)	10,000–30,000 birds	C3
Ruff Calidris pugnax	LC	passage (2001)	120,000–200,000 birds	C2
Black Tern Chlidonias niger	LC	breeding (2001)	60–300 pairs	C2, C6
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding (2001)	45–130 pairs	C6
Western Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus	LC	breeding (2001)	330–420 pairs	C6
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus	LC	breeding (2001)	15–30 pairs	C6
White-tailed Sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla	LC	winter (2001)	50–80 birds	C1
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus	VU	breeding (2001)	200–350 pairs	C2, C6
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug	EN	breeding (2001)	4–8 pairs	C6
Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor	LC	breeding (2001)	220–300 pairs	C6
Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola	VU	breeding (2001)	600–850 pairs	C1, C6
Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon	LC	breeding (2001)	80–150 pairs	C6
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica	LC	breeding (2001)	120–200 pairs	C6

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1973	Hortobágyi	Nemzeti Park (II)	69
1979	Hortobágy National Park	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA)	58

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Grassland	60	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland; Mesophile grasslands
Artificial/Terrestrial	30	Arable land; Forestry plantations; Ruderal land
Wetlands (inland)	10	Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	90
nature conservation and research	80
military	10
tourism/recreation	10
fisheries/aquaculture	5
other	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Hortobágy and Tisza-to (Hungary). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hortobágy-and-tisza-to-iba-hungary on 23/12/2024.