Žuvintas Biosphere Reserve

Žuvintas was protected in 1937, the first nature reserve in Lithuania, on the initiative of the ornithologist Tadas Ivanauskas, and it centres on a very shallow lake, nowhere much more than a metre and a half deep, silting steadily into reed and floating bog. That makes it exceptional for birds: mute swans nest in numbers, and the reserve's list runs past two hundred and fifty species with bitterns, harriers, cranes and large passage flocks. A visitor centre at Aleknonys has displays and an observation tower, and a boardwalk runs out into the reeds. Most of the reserve is closed to protect the breeding birds. The surrounding bogs and wet meadows form part of the biosphere reserve declared in 2011.

What you actually see

• Mute swans - the breeding population the reserve is known for.
• Reed and floating bog - the lake silting into wetland.
• The observation tower - the view over the water from the centre.
• Passage flocks - large gatherings of waterbirds in spring and autumn.

When to go

April to June for breeding and song, September and October for passage flocks. Summer is quieter and mosquito-ridden. Much of the reserve is closed during the breeding season.

Honest expectations

Access is restricted to the marked routes and tower; the lake itself cannot be entered. Birds are distant and binoculars or a telescope are needed. The visitor centre keeps limited hours. Mosquitoes are severe in summer.

Nearby

Alytus lies east; Marijampolė is west.