

Evros river Delta

On the north end of Evros prefecture where it shares boarders with Turkey, Evros river forms a rich delta, a wetland of international importance which extends over 200 km2.
The great variety of plant species of Evros river delta composes a beautiful mosaic. The rare flora and fauna that extend in this area are due to the influences that the wetland gets because of its advantageous geographical position.
Evros river delta shelters a great variety of bird and animal species which is unique in the European continent. For example, so far scientists have recorded 316 bird species, a particularly large number considering that the total number of species that has been recorded in Greece is 425.
The wetland is very important not only for the migration period of some birds but also because many species spend the winter here. During winter thousands waterfowls, coming mainly from North Europe and the former Soviet Union countries, arrive in delta. This period visitors can admire hundreds of flamingos and swans and thousands of ducks which feed themselves in the lagoons of the delta and in the sunset they move to the coasts.
The number of birds using the wetland as intermediate station when they migrate from Europe to Africa and vice versa is also large. Some species that pass by Evros river delta are the white pelican, the glossy ibis, the spoonbill, the Dalmatian pelican, the little gull and the black tern. The most important presence is this of slender-billed curlew, which is one of the most rare bird species on earth.

