The entrance to the Landscape Park is just a few steps away. A picturesque path leading to the beach goes through the Park, so it is very easy for our Guests to quickly reach the Black Cormorant Reserve and Gray Heron.

The Kąty Rybackie Ornithological Reserve - protects the largest breeding colony of the black cormorant and the gray heron in Poland and one of the largest in Europe. It was created in 1957 in a part of the Vistula Spit Landscape Park between Kąty Rybackie and Sztutowo. Initially, its area was only 10.8 ha. Currently, it is already an area of about 103 ha with an additional created buffer zone of 63 ha.

Cormorants quickly settled in the reserve, because of ideal conditions: they have virtually no natural enemies, their existence is not threatened, and the waters of the Vistula Lagoon and the sea were abundant in food. This caused the birds to multiply and spread significantly, and unfortunately began to be perceived by the fishermen as pests. For 2015, the cormorant population in the reserve is about 6,500 breeding pairs. In addition to water, cormorants sow great havoc in the environment by destroying trees with their droppings. Characteristic burned trees can be observed just walking around the reserve.

The cormorant is the largest water bird. Perfectly flies, swims and dives. It can submerge even to a depth of 3 meters and stay under water for up to two minutes. An adult cormorant eats about half a kilo of fish during the day. Nests found in the crowns of pines. He lays eggs in May or June. It flies away for the winter, and returns to the Spit in March.

In the reserve you can also see gray heron and storks. Heron feeds on fish and amphibians, but also reptiles and larger insects. It usually lives around the Vistula Lagoon, nesting in tall trees near the waters. Herons often wade near water or in meadows where they can be observed well. The gray heron's wingspan reaches up to 170 cm. It flies away for the winter, returns in March, although some of the birds remain on the Spit for winter time. 

Cormorants and herons are rare species. If you are staying in our hotel, we encourage you to take a short around the reserve, it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to see these beautiful birds in their natural environment.