Slano Kopovo is one of the most important and the most special bird habitat in Serbia. Its importance is mostly seen during the nesting of the birds that are not typical for the Pannonian Plain but for Ponsko-Caspian salt marshes and sea shores. It is also en route station for birds in migration. During the autumn migration, it is the place of ducks, geese and cranes gathering so you can see, in one day 17 000 cranes. This is the maximum number of cranes recorded in Serbia, as well as a couple of thousand geese and ducks. The most important reasons for birds gathering in such large numbers are availability of food, advantageous geographical position and the most important thing – a peace, that is provided here for the birds. Considering that Slano Kopovo is in the centre of hunting ground that belongs to Hunting Association of Novi Bečej, the hunting in this area is completely excluded.

Besides the small size of the protected area, there are 220 species recorded here. From the total number of species, 80 was recorded during nesting period. Because of its special ornithology features Slano Kopovo is proclaimed as IBA and Ramsark area.

The most important bird habitats in Slano Kopovo are open waters of the lake and offshoots, riparian vegetation, muddy and sandy waterside, moist and marshy meadows and dry meadows and pastures.

Open water zone includes Salt Lake and the ponds of Poštaš Kopovo. Most of the birds gather here for food, day and night rest.

In the zone of floating vegetation that can be seen on a small surface of Poštaš Kopovo water, Tachybaptus ruficollis, Podiceps cristatus and a species of stork  Anas and others, are nesting. You can also meet here Ardeola ralloides, Anas crecca and Rallus aquaticus in search for food.

The zone of immersive vegetation is in the parallel pond where the reeds are dominating – in  Poštaš Kopovo and the left shore of  Salt Lake. Many species are nesting in this zone: Botaurus stellaris, Fulica atra, Cuculus canorus and others. Because of the reeds expansion, open waters has been closed in Poštaš Kopovo which had a negative influence on the diversity of habitats in this part of the Reserve.

Recurvirostra avosetta, Charadrius alexandrinus, Vanellus vanellus, Anas cecca, Larus minutus and others nest in the zone of muddy and sandy coast of the lake.

There are Anas platyrhynchos, Anas acuta, Vanellus vanellus, Asio flammeus, Motocilla alba, Ciconia ciconia, Falco tinnuncullus, Gallinago gallinago, Tringa tetanus, Lanius minor and others in the zone of moist and marshy meadows around the lake.

The zone of dry meadows, pastures and neglected land is between Salty Lake and Small Kopovo. Perdix perdix, Cuculus canorus, Alauda arvensis, Lanius collurio nest here and Ciconia ciconia, Falco tinnunculus, Lanius minor, Passer domesticus and others  sometimes come here for food.

The small forest zone is actually the zone of acacia tree, orchards and alley that grows on a sandy soil around Kopovo and it is poor with ornitofauna. Falco tinnunculus, Falco vespertinus, Asio otus, Sylvia atricapilla, Sturnus vulgaris, Parus major, Lanius colurio and others nest here.

Follow