Lake Péteri

Area: 781 ha

Legal declaration by Decree No. 3/1976. OTvH

Biogeographic region: Sand Ridge

There is an ancient-looking saline steppe fragment halfway between Kiskunfélegyháza and Kistelek along Route 5. Vegetated wetlands, saline meadows and pastures still harbour special flora and fauna here.

Lake Péteri used to be a natural soda lake surrounded by sandy forests and saline steppe but it has been transformed into three fishpond units. The ponds are supplied by water from precipitation and by the Dong-ér Canal. Presently, neither pond is used for fish farming. The vast lakeshore reed beds host rich birdlife. A total of 200 bird species has been recorded in the area. Reedy habitats are home to waterbirds, while saline habitats are populated by shorebirds. Reed-dwelling songbirds, Black-necked Grebes and Great Crested Grebes are common breeding species. The rarest heron species is the Squacco Heron; it usually breeds in mixed colonies with Black-capped Night Herons, Little Egrets and Grey Herons. the main reason for the legal protection of the area is the rich bird fauna. The area is not open for visitors during breeding season due to the sensitivity of some species.