I just had the plerasure to visit the wetlands of Ujście Warty National Park at the mouth of the Warta River in western Poland. They a spectacular staging ground for migrating Arctic geese. In early spring and autumn, tens of thousands of birds rest and feed here, turning the floodplain landscape into one of the most important waterbird gathering sites in Central Europe.
Among the species currently stopping over are large flocks of Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons). These Arctic breeders migrate between their nesting grounds in Northern Russia and wintering areas further south and west in Europe. The wetlands and surrounding meadows of the Warta–Oder valley provide ideal conditions: safe night roosts in flooded areas and nearby agricultural fields for feeding. At peak migration, more than 100,000 geese, and sometimes up to 200,000, can be observed in the park.
A Key Link in the European Flyway
Ujście Warty National Park lies in the lower Oder River valley, a major corridor for migratory birds traveling between the Arctic and Western Europe. The park forms part of the Natura 2000 network, protecting extensive wetlands, seasonally flooded meadows, and oxbow lakes that are essential for migratory waterbirds.
Scientists and conservationists consider this area one of the most important goose staging sites in Central Europe, with species such as Bean Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, and occasionally the rare Lesser White-fronted Goose gathering here during migration.
Future Conservation and Cross-Border Cooperation
Looking ahead, conservation planning increasingly focuses on the entire Oder valley ecosystem, which stretches across both Poland and Germany. Future efforts aim to:
- restore additional floodplain wetlands and grasslands
- improve water management to maintain seasonal flooding
- reduce disturbance in key roosting areas
- strengthen cross-border conservation initiatives along the Oder River
These measures are designed not only to protect the geese but also to improve habitat for a wide range of migratory waterbirds moving along the Flyway.
Projects across Europe are already working to restore wetlands and secure stopover sites along goose migration routes, highlighting the importance of coordinated international conservation.
A Spectacle of Migration
For birdwatchers and photographers, the park offers one of the most impressive natural spectacles in the region. At dawn, thousands of geese leave their night roosts in the flooded marshes, rising in waves and calling loudly as they fly out to surrounding fields.
Each migration season reminds us how vital protected wetlands like Ujście Warty are for wildlife, and how international cooperation is essential to safeguard these routes for future generations of birds.