Hungary

Lesser Mole-rat, Spalax leucodon, Kunamadaras Airbase.

Hungary is one of my favourite mammal watching destinations in Western and Central Europe. I’ve been three times: for a few days in July 2010, and then for long weekends in May and September 2013. I used the fabulous Balazs Szigeti at Ecotours to organise my first trip, and he introduced me to Sandor Boldogh at Aggtelek National Park who helped with my 2013 visits.

Little Balaton

Root (Tundra) Vole, Microtus oeconomus, Little Balaton.

In a morning’s trap checking we had Root (Tundra) Voles in the wetlands, a Northern Water Vole. a Field Vole and a Striped-field Mouse.

Gemenc Region

Pond Bat habitat

During a short stop we saw several hundred Pond Bats and a thousand Soprano Pipistrelles under a bridge.

Bukk Mountains

Greater Noctule, Nyctalus lasiopterus, Bukk Mountains. Photo Jean-Michel Bompar.

Mist netting caught a Greater and Common Noctules

Hortobagy National Park

Lesser Mole-rat, Spalax leucodon, Kunamadaras Airbase.

In a half day here we caught a Lesser Mole-rat and saw 60 or so Przewalski’s Horses.

Around Budapest

European Ground Squirrel (Souslik), Spermophilus citellus, Budapest Airport

During a day around Budapest we had European Sousliks (at Budapest Airport) and trapped Pygmy and Common Shrews near the town of Ocsa.

North East Hungary

Bódva Valley after the rain, May 2013

During a few days over the course of two trips in May and September 2013, we caught Ural (Pygmy) Field Mouse, Harvest Mice, Wood MiceYellow-necked Mice, Striped Field Mice, Black-bellied Hamster and Common Voles. I saw Red Foxes, Red Deer, Red Squirrels, Steppe Mice and Brown Hares. And there were plenty of bats including Common Bentwing Bats, Common Noctules, Daubentons, Lesser Mouse-eared BatsGeoffroy’s Bats and Mediterranean Horseshoe Bats.

European (Black-bellied) Hamster, Cricetus cricetus, Mezozombor. 

 

Community Reports

Hungary, 2021: Ralf Burglin, 1 week with species including River Otter, European Badger and Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat.

Hungary, 2019: Naturetrek, 8 days & 28 species including 17 bats, with Greater and Lesser Mouse-eared Bats and Barbastelles some of the standouts.

Hungary and Slovakia, 2017: Steve Morgan, 9 days & 30 species including European HamsterForest DormouseWestern Barbastelle and a Parti-coloured Bat.

The Balkans, 2016 (and some flashbacks to the early 1990s): Vladimir Dinets, 6 weeks and 100+ mammals including Martino’s Snow Vole, Romanian Hamster, Western Broad-toothed Mouse, Bicoloured and Etruscan Shrews, a Mediterranean Monk Seal and European Polecat.

Hungary, 2013: Jon Hall, reports of 2 short trips with species including Black-bellied Hamster, Steppe and Ural Mice, and Common Bentwing Bats.

Hungary, 2011: Phil Telfer, one week & 37 species including Miller’s Water Shrew, Steppe Mouse and Lesser Mole Rat.

Hungary, 2010: Jon Hall, 4 days & 15 species including Striped Field Mouse, Lesser Mole-rat and Pond Bats.

Hungary, 2010: Marks Hows, one week & 32 species inlcuding Bechstein’s Bat, Black-bellied Hamster and Southern Birch Mouse.

Also See

RFI European Souslik near Budapest airport?, June 2023

Sousliks in the Hortobagy, June 2011

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