Hortobágy and Tisza-to (1392)
Hungary, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2002
National site name: Hortobágy and Tisza-to
Central coordinates: Latitude: 47.6167, Longitude: 21.0667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 83 to 102
Area of KBA (km2): 1500.83533
Protected area coverage (%): 74.18
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Situated on the Hungarian Great Plain east of the River Tisza, Hortobágy is the largest puszta landscape in Hungary; an open plain dominated by saline grasslands and extensive arable lands. Depressions contain saline marshlands, with seasonal wetlands appearing in spring and autumn. Fish-ponds cover about 5,000 ha. Human activities include arable farming, cattle- and sheep-grazing, goose-farming, haymaking, angling, birdwatching, hunting and reed-harvesting (`Other' land-use, below). This area includes four sites that were treated as separate IBAs in the previous international IBA inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989): `Hortobágy' (former site HU016), `Pusztakócsi mocsarak' (former site HU018), `ágota-puszta' (former site HU020) and `Nagyszék' (former site HU043).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: The most important site in Hungary for steppic birds and waterbirds.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (90%) | fisheries/aquaculture (5%) | military (10%) | nature conservation and research (80%) | tourism/recreation (10%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 60 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 10 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 30 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Undergrazing and increasing disturbance are the main threats, whilst wildfowl are threatened by both hunting and reed-burning. Management plans exist, and artificial flooding is carried out for Anser erythropus and Numenius tenuirostris. Grasslands and arable fields are managed for Acrocephalus paludicola and Otis tarda. Artificial nest- sites are provided, and wildfowl shooting is banned within the protected areas.