Our Results

The majority of the staff at the Foundation have been doing this work since 1991. Our work has resulted in the saving of several hundreds of birds and their return to the wild, and the breeding of birds already unsuitable for relocation and the repatriation of their descendants.

Dr. János Déri and Dr. Dériné Dr. Beáta Smidová veterinarians of Hortobágy have been dealing with the healing of damaged wild birds for 19 years.

Dr. Attila Beregi, a teacher at the University of Veterinary Sciences has been participating in the work for 12 years. Erzsébet Baji-Gál and Judit Nagy assist in the care of the birds.

The theoretical and pragmatic knowledge we accumulated by us constitutes the primary strength of the Foundation. They are well augmented by a not so multitudous but wholehearted and committed assistance team, who aid them with their non-egoist work.

Among the several hundreds of wild animals treated by us over the years the following are protected species:

white-tailed eagle, golden eagle, imperial eagle, ossifrage, fishhawk, secretary-bird, peregrine falcon, lanneret, hobby (Falco subbuteu),  stock owl, howlet, forest and meadow eagle-owl, white owl, sparrow owl, bee hawk, common buzzard, red-footed falcon, windhover, sparrow hawk, harrier, small kite (Accipiter sp.), common crane, black and white stork, mute swan, little grebe, spoon-bill, common heron, bittern, dwarf heron, raven, salamander, butcher-bird, hedge-sparrow, fieldfare, otter, brock.  

but we have also treated animals the hunting of which is permitted, eg. rook, mallard, pheasant, woodcock, wild piglet, fawn.

The Bird Saving Station operated since the summer of 2002 has been one of the interesting tourist attractions of Hortobágy. With its establishment we wish to satisfy the needs of kindergarten-school groups and of professionals, who like animals and nature and wish to get to know the activity of the bird hospital. The bird hospital is open to visitors, however, due to hygienic reasons entry into the operation room and into the lab is not recommended.

The treated patients can be seen in the flying rooms, but some of the patients are also bothered by the presence of visitors. The exhibition is an exemplary solution to recover needs, which makes all of these possible without bothering the work or the patients.

With new ideas, unique and dioramic preparations, posters, photographs, original x-ray images, lab diagnoses, newspaper clippings, many video materials and transmission through industrial cameras, with the proper management, the visitor may not get an inside view of the bird hospital’s activities but may also get acquainted with the possibilities to help the ailing birds and may discover the danger sources threatening certain habitats, and the opportunities for prevention.