Birds
BIRDS OF GORIČKO MEADOWS
Meadows are crucial feature for grassland birds and their exsistence. At the same time this group of birds has in the last decades drastically decreased and it is one of the most endangered groups of birds. In Goričko we can still find some of the rare grassland birds which live only in few other parts of Slovenia. One of the most known bird in Goričko is Hoopoe (Upupa epops) or »upkaš« as it is called by the locals. It is known by its plume on the top of its head and by its long curved beak which is used to seek prey underground.
Seeking for prey by sitting on the top of a bush or a wire it is another characteristic bird named Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio). It specialty is that he sticks his prey on thorns and later gradually rips up the prey. On wet meadows we can hear Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), yet another rare and endagered bird. In the evening and at night song of Common quail (Coturnix coturnix) echoes from the meadows. In May and June on the tall trees hoots Scops Owl (Otus scops). This migratory owl has/reaches on Goričko the highest abundance in NE Slovenia.
