36 Mátra Mountains
Description
A range of narrow mountain ridges situated between the Zagyva river and Tarna creek, including the Kékes summit (1014m), the highest point in Hungary. The vegetation is dominated by oak Quercus forest on acidic soils, with submontane Quercus, Carpinus, Fagus forests at higher altitudes. Large tracts of land are planted with spruce Picea, and the forested area as a whole is intensively managed, whilst orchards and grasslands are mostly abandoned. A popular area for recreation.
Location and size
Birdlife IBA Code : HU040
Location: Hungary, Heves, Nógrád
Central coordinates: 20.00 East 47.49 North
Altitude: 164-1014, average: 450m
Area: 58,122 ha
Habitats
Forest 90%
Shrubland 5%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) 5%
Birds
Qualifying birds for present IBA
047 Hazel Grouse (Bonasa bonasia)
089 Short-toed (Snake) Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
100 Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina)
103 (Asian) Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
230 (Eurasian) Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)
255 White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos)
Other special birds
082 (European) Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
115 Saker (Falcon) (Falco cherrug)
244 (Common) Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
249 Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus)
254 Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius)
240 (Europen) Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus)
251 Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
260 Woodlark (Lullula arborea)
336 Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva)
337 Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis)
Common birds
Source: 1) Lovászi Péter (editor): Javasolt különleges madárvédelmi területek Magyarországon, Magyar Madártani és Természetvédelmi Egyesület, 2002; 2) BirdLife International: Important Bird Areas factsheet, 2012; 3) Králl Attila, Nagy Károly: Fontos Madárélőhelyek Magyarországon (Területek, kritériumok és minősítő fajok) MME Monitoring Központ, 2007; 4) www.hungarianbirdwatching.com Important Bird Area descriptions, 2004-2014