Marchegg Stork Colony

White storks almost everywhere in Europe nest on buildings, chimneys and poles; at Marchegg they nest in trees, in old oaks in the floodplain forest of the March river, and the colony there - typically around fifty pairs - is the largest tree-nesting concentration on the continent. The reason is habitat: the March, which forms the Slovak border, still floods its meadows, and the wet grassland provides the frogs, insects and small mammals a colony needs within reach of the nests. The area was inside the border zone through the Cold War, which protected it from drainage and development. The reserve is managed by WWF, there are marked paths through the meadows and forest, hides, and the Marchegg baroque castle at the edge with an exhibition on the floodplain.

What you actually see

• Storks nesting in oaks - the largest tree-nesting colony in Europe.
• Floodplain meadows - the wet grassland that feeds the colony.
• A former border zone - protected from development by the Iron Curtain.
• Marchegg castle - the baroque building at the reserve edge with an exhibition.

When to go

April to August, while the birds are on the nests. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The storks leave for Africa by late August and there is nothing to see until spring. Paths flood after high water. Mosquitoes in the meadows are severe. Bring binoculars.

Nearby

The Donau-Auen National Park is south; Bratislava is across the border.