Dunăre-Ostroave SPA

The site is located in the S-E part of Romania, in Calarasi and Constanta counties. The site is situated on the territory of several villages: Unirea, Borcea, Dichiseni, Jegalia, Roseti, Oltina, Ostrov, Rasova, but also on the territory of 2 towns, Calarasi (about 70,000 inhabitants) and Cernavoda (20105 inhabitants). The nearest large town is Calarasi, 5 km North of the site.

The site is a part of the Danube’s floodplain, where the floodplain has the largest width, because the Danube is splitting in 2 branches which used to enclose big lakes in the past: Ialomita and Braila Lakes. The site is also declared as a site of community importance, under the Habitats Directive, for the protection of habitats with Salix alba, Populus alba, Alnusglutinosa, Fraxinus excelsior etc. Inside the site, there is a nature reserve declared in 2004, Ostrovul Soimul. In the past, there were big lakes (Balta Ialomitei and Balta Brailei) between the two river branches, but most of their surface was drained for agriculture purpose.

The Danube is the main factor which shapes the geomorphology of this sector, but the wind has also an important role. The relief inside the site is represented by sand banks, sand dunes, islands, depressions covered temporarily by lakes etc.
 

The site is situated on the route of an important migration corridor, so it is important as breeding and roosting place for some very rare species. The site is very important for some bird species such as Falco cherrug, Red-breasted Goose and Dalmatian Pelican.

The site is important for Saker falcon during passage, when 1-3 individuals are using the site. The site is located in the immediate vicinity of the breeding cluster from the eastern part of Dobrudja and probably the birds which are visiting the site are coming from there.

The site currently supports over 200 bird species, 43 of them included in the Annex I of Birds Directive. The site is one of the ten most important sites in Romania for two globally threatened species: Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) and the Red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis). The pelicans are using the site during breeding period when hundreds of pelicans are foraging in the Danube River. During the winter season the Red-breasted Goose is using the channels along the islands as roosting place.