Baltoji Vokė.

Interesting areas within this wetland system include the Baltijo Vokė fishponds and peat land, and the Papis Ornithological Reserve.  The marshy, shallow lake is surrounded by a working peat bog. There is also an abandoned peat mine, composed of a network of shallow water and channels now overgrown with aquatic flora. This site is a valuable breeding habitat for migratory and resident waterfowl, attracting a variety of species including the Great White Egret, Whooper Swan, Black Tern, Little Gull, Bittern, Wood Sandpiper, Little Crake and Spotted Crake.  There is a path network and observation towers.

Nemunas Delta Regional Park

Comprising of over twenty six thousand hectares, this Regional Park is an extremely important bird area. The Nemunas River flows through the Regional Park out to the Curonian Lagoon, where it forms a wide delta.  Within this Regional Park is a huge variety of habitats: driftwood deposits, seasonally flooded meadows, sandy islands, shallow lagoon waters, fishponds, and bogs.  The delta is especially attractive to waterbirds attracting vast flocks of migrating species each year.  Breeding birds include the Aquatic Warbler, Avocet, Whiskered Tern, Little Tern, Little Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Great Snipe, Crane and White-tailed Eagle.  During migration thousands of geese, ducks, swans and waders can be seen.  These include the Caspian Tern, White-fronted Goose, Bean Goose, Barnacle Goose, Goosander, Smew, Goldeneye, Pochard and Pintail.  At this time thousands of passerine species also can be seen flying through the area.  A bird ringing station of international importance is located at Ventė Cape where over 100 000 birds are annually ringed.  By far this is the most exciting and amazing place to watch birds in Lithuania.

Aukštaitija, Labanoro Regional Park

Labanoro Park, in Eastern Lithuania is a wonderful birding area. Within the park is a Nature Reserves of 23 000 hectare total areas characterised by mature coniferous forests, large lakes, bogs and streams.

It is an extremely important bird habitat where a variety of woodland and wetland species breed. When visiting this site you may see the Black-Throated Diver, Osprey, Black Kite, Black Grouse, Tengmalm’s Owl, Pygmy Own and European Roller.

Punia Forest

Two Thousand and seven hundred hectares in size and regarded as the oldest forest in the country, Punia Forest boasts almost all varieties of woodland habitat.  Oak, pine, spruce and black alder are the dominant tree species in the forest. Due to minimum intervention management this forest is diverse in age and structure, resulting in a mix of dead wood habitats, mature trees, dense understory and woodland glades.

Here it is possible to see the Middle Spotted Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker, Three-toed Woodpecker, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Lesser Spotted Eagle and Black Stork.

Lake Kretuonas

Located within Aukštaitija National Park, this wetland system includes lake Kretuonas and lake Kretuonykštis, which incorporate a variety of habitats including water-meadows, marshes, peat bogs, fens, reed swamps, agricultural land and forest.  This site is an extremely important breeding habitat attracting a diversity of species including the Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Spotted Crake, Corncrake, Great Snipe, Black Tern and Whiskered Tern.  The new observation tower gives you an excellent opportunity to get a good look at these birds

Meteliai.

This wetland system comprises of three large lakes (Dusia, Metelys and Obelija).  The large area of open water, wide littoral zones and diverse wetland flora is ideal habitat for waterfowl and waders, and raptors. You may be able to see the Ferruginous Duck, Greylag Goose, Spotted Crake, Little Crake, Corncrake, White-tailed Eagle, various harrier species and migrating waterfowl including the Berwick’s Swan and the Whooper Swan.

Kašonys.

This eutrophic lake is surrounded by fens and marshes, and is an important habitat for breeding waterfowl, terns and gulls.  There is a good viewpoint from the southwest shore of the lake where you can watch Black-necked Grebe, Black Terns and Black-headed Gulls

Novaraistis.

This Ornithological Reserve is over eight hundred hectares in size.  A restored peat bog, this habitat is extremely important for some rare and migrant species including the Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Crake, and Common Crane.  An observation tower has been constructed in the centre of the peat bog giving you the chance to get a good look at these species.

Žuvintas biosphere reserve

This reserve is a large wetland area comprising of a large eutrophic lake, floating islands, sedge fens, reed beds, water meadows, raised bogs and wetland forests.  This valuable site is extremely important for rare and migrating species including the Aquatic Warbler, Bittern, Black Grouse, Common Crane and waders and geese.

Dzūkija National Park and Forests

The National Park covers an area of forty nine thousand hectares, of which over two thousand is designated as a Strict Nature Reserve and 20 000 Nature Reserves. Continental dune habitat has been overgrown with Scot’s Pine, creating a unique landscape.  Vast areas of forests (47,283 ha) in which dry forests, especially original and rich in many rare species prevail, raised bogs and fens, dense network of 30 rivers and rivulets create the high diversity of habitats. About 750 species of higher plants, nearly 300 species of mushrooms, over 200 species of lichen have been found in the Park. Around 40 species of mammals, at least 150 species of birds inhabit the Park. 760 species of butterflies and 217 species of wild bees were found too.
Even 6 species of plants and 50 of animals, listed in EES Habitats and Bird directives occur in the area. Even on the European scale the forests of Dzukija are the significant habitats for orchids, the Easter pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens), and goatsucker. The birds diversity include the Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix), Roller (Coracias garrulus), Hoopoe (Upupa epops), Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus), and Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola). Rivers of the Merkys basin are significant habitats for preserving the otter (Lutra lutra) or the small lamprey (Lampetra planeri) on the European scale.
Wetlands, forests around them and cold-watered rivers gave shelter to the species that were characteristic of the northern areas and have remained there since the post-glacial period. Such names as the downy mountain sallow (Salix laponicum) or northern species of butterflies as Clossiana frigga, Oeneis jutta alone mean a lot.

Nemunas river islands.

Small islands of silt and sand have built up in many places along the river. In the summer colonies of Little Terns, Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls breed on them. In autumn and early spring, it is possible to see thousands of ducks and waders gathered.

Curonian spit and Baltic Sea.

Two kilometres wide and seventy kilometres long, the Curonian Spit is a thin strip of sand that divides the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Lagoon.  The entire area is protected. Large sand dunes and dotted along the entire Baltic coast, creating a unique landscape of bare drifting dunes, wet alder forests and sandy grasslands.  It is an important area for migrant birds and wintering seabirds including the Steller’s Eider, Whooper Swan, Goosander, Smew, Goldeneye, White-tailed Eagle and Little Gull. Along the coastal area of the spit it is possible to see Velvet Scoters, Red-throated Divers and Razorbills.  It is also a good spot to view passing migrating passerine species.

The Uzulenis forest

The Uzulenis forest consists of deciduous tree species mostly birch, alder, aspen. The black alder grows in wet lowlands while single oaks stand on more dry soil. Spruce covers about 20% of all stands. The forest is about 20 km NW from Ukmerge town. The part of forest is promulgated as IBA (Important Bird Area) and has the status of Telmological Reserve. It is the habitat for species such as the Black Stork, Lesser-Spotted Eagle, Middle Spotted, White-backed and Three-toed Woodpeckers.

Šilavotas fishponds

Šilavotas fishponds are about 15 km West from Prienai town. The fishponds are surrounded by agriculture lands at South and Pagraizio forest by North. The fishponds and surrounding areas are suitable for many bird species as for breeding as for migration time. The main breeding species are: White-tailed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Bittern, Crane, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan,
Slavonian Grebe, Great White Egret, Goldeneye.

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