Prud Reserve

The Prud Ornithological Reserve is located east of the settlement and town of the same name Vid and the Norin River that springs there and flows through it, north of Glibuša, a dead branch of the Neretva River. The reserve encompasses the remainder of the Neretva delta wetland area of about 320 hectares and is one of the rarely preserved Mediterranean reedbeds. It has had the status of a Special Ornithological Reserve since 1965, and in 1993 it was included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance and is part of the European network of protected areas Natura 2000. Its main feature is dense marsh vegetation consisting of reedbeds and other marsh flora, making it an ideal area for nesting and wintering grounds for various bird species, among which the most significant populations are the bittern ( Botaurus stellaris ), the little egret ( Ixobrychus minutus ), the marsh harrier ( Circus aeruginosus ) and the auk ( Aythya nyroca ). Interestingly, this is one of the Neretva River's nesting grounds, which is the only coastal nesting ground for the whiskered warbler ( Panurus biarmicus ), and is also important for populations of wagtails ( Rallus aquaticus ), stilts ( Porzana sp. ), reed warblers ( Acrocephalus sp. ) and other species.