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This article presents a list of bird species observed in the ROSCI0120 nature reserve during the year 2024. The reserve comprises Tâmpa and Dealul Melcilor, two natural topographic features located amid the city of Brașov, Romania. This is an abbreviated version of the full report.

A view over the Postăvaru Massif from the summit of Tâmpa.

A view over the Postăvaru Massif from the summit of Tâmpa.

The Habitat

Dealul Melcilor is a small hill located amid the city of Brașov, bounded on all sides by the urban area. Part of the southern sector of the hill was the site of a limestone quarry in the recent past. Tâmpa is a small mountain, bounded on three sides by the urban area and to the south-west by the forest of the Postăvaru Massif, of which it constitutes a part. Dealul Melcilor and Tâmpa are separated by a single street lined with buildings of mainly residential character. The town centre of Brașov is located at roughly 600 m altitude. The summit of Dealul Melcilor lies at 712 m, while the summit of Tâmpa lies at 955 m.

Hepatica transsilvanica photographed on Dealul Melcilor in February.

Hepatica transsilvanica photographed on Dealul Melcilor in February.

Tâmpa and Dealul Melcilor are predominantly covered in forest, interspersed with open areas of meadow and shrub and a few areas of cliff. The bedrock is composed primarily of limestone. The woodland covering the reserve is comprised of a remarkable mixture of upland and lowland tree species, in contrast to much of the forest of the Postăvaru Massif, which is comprised mainly of upland species. Water seeps from several springs in the comparatively wet north-eastern sector of Dealul Melcilor. There is at least one spring on Tâmpa - the mountain is otherwise comparatively dry. A few small caves are scattered through the range.

Erythronium dens-canis photographed on Tâmpa in April.

Erythronium dens-canis photographed on Tâmpa in April.

Ash (Fraxinus excelsior), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), Norway maple (Acer platanoides), field maple (Acer campestre), beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) are numerous across the range, while small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata), large-leaved lime (Tilia platyphyllos), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and larch (Larix decidua) are numerous on Tâmpa, occurring in smaller numbers on Dealul Melcilor, as do silver poplar (Populus alba) and willow (Salix x) on the wetter parts of the hill, while saplings of black pine (Pinus nigra) have been planted on the dry slope south of the old quarry (not being native to the area, they appear not to be thriving). Common walnut (Juglans regia), aspen (Populus tremula), common hazel (Corylus avellana), wild cherry (Prunus avium), wych elm (Ulmus glabra), pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), silver fir (Abies alba), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and silver birch (Betula pendula) occur sporadically in parts of the range. A few venerable common alder (Alnus glutinosa) line the banks of the small river which runs along the outside of Dealul Melcilor.

Lathyrus vernus photographed on Tâmpa in May.

Lathyrus vernus photographed on Tâmpa in May.

The reserve hosts a remarkable number of species of flowering plant. On Dealul Melcilor in early spring, splashes of violet and blue colour the woodland floor, when among others, Hepatica transsilvanica, Scilla bifolia, Vinca minor and Erythronium dens-canis come into flower. Martagon lilly (Lilium martagon) flower abundantly on Dealul Melcilor in June, while purple Crocus banaticus decorates the woodland floor in September. The wild flora on Tâmpa is especially varied.

Consolidated List

Entries corresponding to bird species which, according to the recorded observations and the supporting literature (see full report), are present only during the warmer months are coloured red, while those present in the area under study essentially only during the colder months are coloured blue. ‘MB’ designates those species which, according to the supporting literature, occur as migrant breeders in Romania, while ‘WV’ designates species which are documented to occur as winter visitors.

Most of the data from which this report was produced was gathered during the months of January - February and May - July. The latter period comprises the breeding season for many species. Observations of a total of 45 bird species have been reported. Species characteristic of the agricultural or urban habitat which only sporadically visit the reserve have been removed from the table (see the full report for a complete list).