Where the Danube meets the Black Sea, it spreads into a vast delta of channels, lakes, reed beds and floating islands. The Danube Delta, mostly in Romania with a part in Ukraine, is Europe’s largest and best-preserved river delta and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. More than 300 bird species have been recorded, including Europe’s largest colonies of pelicans.
At a glance
| Best time | April to June (breeding); September to October (migration) |
| Getting there | About 4 to 5 hours by road from Bucharest to Tulcea |
| Time needed | 3 to 5 days |
| Big draws | Pelicans, pygmy cormorants, herons, terns, raptors |
| Good for | Birders, photographers, slow travel |
Birds
- Great white pelicans breed in large colonies, and Dalmatian pelicans, the world’s largest pelicans, also nest here. See our great white pelican profile.
- Pygmy cormorants, glossy ibises, spoonbills, squacco herons, night herons and purple herons. See our grey heron profile.
- Terns: whiskered, white-winged and common terns.
- Raptors: white-tailed eagles, red-footed falcons and marsh harriers.
- Winter: hundreds of thousands of geese, including the rare red-breasted goose.
- Songbirds: bearded reedlings, reed warblers and European rollers in the surrounding steppe. See our European bee-eater profile.
How to explore
- Boat trips from Tulcea, Crișan, Mila 23 and Sulina, ranging from day trips to multi-day floating hotels.
- Small boats and canoes reach narrow channels and lakes that large boats cannot.
- Letea Forest: an ancient forest on sand dunes with wild horses, oak trees and liana-covered trees.
- Macin Mountains and the Dobrogea steppe nearby for raptors and steppe birds.
Other wildlife
Golden jackals, otters, wild boar, European wildcats and the feral horses of Letea. Fish include sturgeons, now critically endangered. See our beluga sturgeon profile.
When to go
- April to June: breeding season; the best time for pelicans, herons and terns.
- July to August: hot, with mosquitoes.
- September to October: autumn migration.
- November to February: wintering geese.
Where to stay
Guesthouses in fishing villages such as Crișan, Mila 23 and Sfântu Gheorghe, eco-lodges and floating hotels.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time for birding in the Danube Delta? May and June, during the breeding season.
How do I get to the Danube Delta? Drive or take a bus from Bucharest to Tulcea (4 to 5 hours), then continue by boat.
Can I see pelicans in the Danube Delta? Yes, great white and Dalmatian pelicans breed here.
Do I need a permit? Visitors pay a small access fee to the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, often arranged by boat operators.
Related guides
- Bear watching in the Romanian Carpathians
- The Camargue: flamingos, white horses and wetlands
- Crane migration at Hortobágy
- Animal profiles: Great white pelican, Grey heron, Beluga sturgeon
Cover photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons