Rare bird returns to Croatia’s Drava River: “Every nest counts”
- by croatiaweek
- in News
Little Tern
One of Croatia’s rarest nesting birds, the little tern (Sterna albifrons), is making a cautious return to the gravel and sandbanks of the Drava River in Koprivnica-Križevci County.
With only four to seven nesting pairs recorded, each nest is considered vital for the species’ survival, Dnevnik.hr reports.
Recognised as a symbol of a living, natural river, the little tern is an indicator of a healthy river ecosystem. It shares its habitat with other threatened birds such as sand martins, kingfishers, and bee-eaters.
Unlike some species, the little tern refuses to nest on artificial platforms, making its dependence on untouched riverbanks even more critical.
However, increasing human impact on river habitats—through river regulation, hydroelectric projects, gravel extraction, and recreational activities like kayaking, fishing, and swimming—has placed this elegant bird under severe threat.
It is now strictly protected under Croatian and EU nature conservation laws, which prohibit capturing, disturbing, or destroying its nests and habitats.
The DRAVA LIFE project team is calling on all visitors to the Drava to avoid walking on riverbanks between late April and late July—the little tern’s nesting season—and to observe birds from a distance.
They also encourage people to spread awareness about the importance of protecting these birds.
Little Tern
“Protecting the remaining nesting pairs of little terns requires restoring the river’s natural dynamics, allowing the Drava to shape new gravel and sandbanks, and preventing disturbance during nesting season,” say the team behind DRAVA LIFE—a collaborative initiative involving Hrvatske Vode, WWF, Zeleni Osijek, and local public nature institutions from three counties.
The Drava is part of the UNESCO Five-Country Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere Reserve and the Natura 2000 network. Protecting the little tern is not just about saving one species, but about preserving the richness of the entire river ecosystem.
Little Tern
With care and responsible behaviour, we can help ensure that these remarkable birds continue to thrive along the Drava.
