General information
Formed in 2001 Warta Mouth National Park covers a surface of 8074 hectares. It lies near the Polish-German border, in a fragment of Toruń-Eberswald proglacial stream valley, the so called Gorzów Valley. Flat, wide terrains of the Park are situated within the lower bench of Warta River.
The Warta River flowing through the middle of the Park is a natural border between two areas, Northern Polder and the floodland.
The floodland is a semi-natural area in which annual water level fluctuations may reach up to 4 meters with its maximum in the spring months (March and April). The Northern Polder is separated from a direct influence of Warta by a levee build along the river bed. The water level is here definitely lower than at the left bank and relatively stable.
Nowadays Park’s landscape is a mosaic of meadows, pastures and areas overgrown by sedge and reed. The existing plant communities are typical for agriculturally developed valleys of big lowland rivers. The remnants of its original character are willow shrubs that formed secondarily at the Warta River bed, communities of carr forest as well as single, grand willows and elms.
The record of bird species of Warta Mouth National Park includes over 270 species along with 170 breeding ones. Some of them are listed in the Polish Red Data Book of Animals: Little Bittern, Shelduck, Common Teal, Little Gull, Eurasian Curlew.
Many bird species living in the Park are regarded as species requiring special care according to the so called Birds Directive, one of the documents on which Natura 2000 protected area network is based. Among the 190 bird species listed in the Directive, 64 have been affirmed in the Park. These are breeding birds like: Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Corncrake, Spotted Crake, Black Tern, Little Tern, Aquatic Warbler and also species present during migration season like: Eurasian Golden Plover, Hen Harrier, and these wintering ones: Whooper Swan and Tundra Swan.
Regarding the breeding as well the molting and migration seasons, the floodlands and meadows of Warta Mouth National Park are of vital meaning for birds across whole Europe. Numerous plovers like: Wood Sandpipers, Spotted Redshanks and Ruffs stop here. In autumn the meadows at Warta River are being taken over by geese, numbering usually about 60-80 thousand, and maximally even 200 thousand. The flocks of arctic geese are dominated by Bean Geese, a bird that is a symbol of our Park. The Park is also a crucial wintering place for many species like: Whooper Swans, Mute Swans, and White-tailed Eagles.
Not many places in Poland can boast such a incredibly high and diverse amount of birds. Sometimes during only one day 250 thousand of birds may be observed, so it is not odd that the meadows at Warta River are under protection within The Ramsar Convention.