Birds also benefit from Room for the River – Early Birds

Munnikenland is a nature reserve with an enormous wealth of birds. The fact that it is so rich in birds is due to the Room for the River project in which the area was redeveloped. This redevelopment was necessary to protect the inhabitants from wet feet and to lower the flooding of rivers. But this has gone hand in hand with the emergence of a new nature where huge numbers of birds have found their home.

Bird diversity

The daily dynamics of the tides and the continuous influence of the river ensure that the area is always on the move, resulting in a lot of diversity. Where there is water at one point, it may be elsewhere a few months later. The connection with the river also ensures that at high tide the fish sink and stay in the bowl when the water drops again. All kinds of birds also benefit.

The birds found him

The polder can dry out early in the spring, which is very interesting for wading birds. And if the area is dry for a while, pioneer plants will emerge, which will benefit summer stalls and spotted crake. In this outer polder, there are red hocks, blueberries, herons, skylarks. But also on the side channel, which was made to give space to the river, there is an enormous wealth of birds, such as colorful sandpipers and three-toed sandpipers. In short, the birds quickly found the area.

Birds that have disappeared

Koniks and red geuzen graze the area, to ensure that the area does not become overgrown and that water can easily find its way. Good as a remedy against high water, good for marsh birds, but because of this species also lost their habitat. The nightingale and also the European Stonechat are declining in numbers here. Taking this into account with grazing in the future and leaving the bushes, these birds can also keep or find their place here.

Watch the show on Munnikenland at 7:50 p.m. on NPO 2 on Friday May 14, 2021!