Benkove ostrovy

Benkove ostrovy is group of twelve islands (0.6 ha) which are located in the Gabčíkovo water reservoir south of Bratislava, west from the Kalinkovo village. They were built in the years 2006 and 2007 as part of flood-protection of the Slovak capital. The structure of the islets was proposed and built so that this structure would be proper for breeding waterbirds which have only few possibilities for breeding after the construction of the Gabčíkovo water reservoir in 1992.

Geography

* group of islands consist of 12 islets
* majority of the islets are without vegetation, or with ruderal vegetation
* coast is rocky, surface is gravelly
* majority of the islets are 10 meters wide, and approximately 50 meters long, they are 1-2 meters high

Importance for birds

* At the islets are breedig Mallards, Little Ringed Plovers, Wagtails
* In the breeding season was observed unsuccessful breeding of Common Tern
* At the islets were observed migrating Little Egrets, Greenshanks and other rare species.