Hortobágy National Park

In 1973 the central region of the Hortobágy Puszta, an area of 690sq.km (266sq.mi), was declared a nature reserve, in an attempt both to safeguard the varied fauna and flora and to preserve the traditional farming and pastoral methods which have been employed on the Hungarian Plain since the 14th C.

Extensive areas of grassland interspersed with clumps of oak and maple trees, and large expanses of reeds dominate the landscape. Water-lilies, floating motherwort and other aquatic plants are nearly as common as camphor, camomile, mugwort and aster. In spring and autumn the Hortobágy provides a resting-place for vast numbers of migrant birds, including various species of heron, spoonbills, white geese, reed-warblers, waders, rare black