Matsalu National Park, located in the western part of Estonia, covers an area of 486.4 square kilometres. The territory of the reserve includes the lower reaches of the Kazari River, the coastal strip of Matsalu Bay in the Baltic Sea and about 50 islands in the Moonsund Strait. Matsalu Bay is rather shallow, with a depth of only 1.5 metres, 18 kilometres long and 6 kilometres wide. The reserve has been in operation since 1957. The aim of its work is to protect the natural complexes, as well as the protection of the numerous bird species that inhabit the Matsalu Nature Reserve.
The predominant landscapes of the reserve include forested thickets and aquatic areas. In addition, Matsalu National Park is home to floodplain meadows, rushes, cattails, and reeds. Almost any moisture-loving plants will do well in the reserve. In general, the relief of the reserve is flat, with some hills.
The fauna of the National Park is represented mainly by birds. Among the mammals most widespread in Matsalu are elk, wild boars, foxes, wild roe deer, raccoon dogs, and also hedgehogs, shrews, and moles. The inhabitant of water islands, the water rat, stands out in large numbers. 772 species of plants and 49 species of fish are registered on the territory of the reserve.
There are about 250 species of birds in the reserve, and 160 of them are nesting birds. The most common are waterfowl and Wading birds. Permanent residents include such birds as terns, terns, eiders, moles, gulls, gulls, pegans and tufted blackbirds. Among migratory birds, the main mass are northern ducks, sandpipers and whooper swans. In addition to listed above, the most typical inhabitants of the reserve include grey geese, geese, geese, mallards and red-headed ducks. Two species stand out among the great diversity of birds: the great spotted eagle, because it has become the emblem of the Reserve, and the barnacle goose, because it is protected by the Red Book of Russia.
The bird colonies here are so large that they are not afraid of any vagaries of nature. For example, the island of Anemaa is home to seagulls, which are so numerous that predators would be afraid to approach the island, as the whole flock would attack a possible offender. The eiders have taken to Papilad Island.
Thus, there is a lot of work for ornithologists here. In addition to all sorts of research and observation, they're checking out bird nests, while also ringing seagull chicks. The pioneer of bird ringing is considered to be the teacher Martenson, who at the end of the last century put an aluminum ring with numbers on the birds’ legs in order to trace their flight path. Thanks to a successful experiment, ringing has since become widespread.
To catch the birds, birdwatchers use special automated trap beams that are placed on the nest. When the bird lands, the trap is triggered and the net covers it. Birds are captured not only for ringing, but also for study and disease detection.
The feathered inhabitants of Matsalu National Park can be observed from special equipped observation towers. In addition, for the convenience of visitors, there is a museum and a hotel in the centre of the reserve in Penyia. The beauty of the reserve can be enjoyed on foot, by bicycle or even by boat. Every autumn near the town of Lihula, there is an international film festival about the Matsalu Nature Film Festival.
