| Srebarna is a freshwater lake, located in the Danube floodplain about 20 km west of the town of Silistra at the border to Romania. The reserve covers an area of 902,1 hectares at 100 meters altitude and includes extensive reed beds (Phragmites communis) and freshwater marshes. There is a subterranean karst and cave hydrological system in the southern part of the site. The reserve was established in 1948 and was declared a biosphere reserve in 1977 and mainly aims to protect the rich avifauna in the area with nearly 180 bird species (half of the Bulgarian avifauna), including 80 migratory species. Among the breeding birds is the only Bulgarian colony of Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus). The site was inscribed on the Ramsar list in 1975. A series of upstream dams have permanently altered the hydrology of this site. Srйbarna Biosphere Reserve is currently under revision.
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