Hrdibořické rybníky

Hrdibořické rybníky — wetlands at the heart of the Haná region

Hrdibořické rybníky is a national nature monument sitting right next to the village of Hrdibořice, in the Prostějov district of the Olomouc Region in Moravia. Covering roughly 37 hectares, it is one of those quietly overlooked corners of the Czech countryside that turns out to hold a surprisingly rich world of wetlands, former peat bogs and fish ponds.

An unusual origin story

Unlike many Moravian and Bohemian fishpond systems that trace back to medieval fish farming, the ponds here have a much younger and more industrial history. The main water bodies were formed between 1938 and 1963 as a direct result of peat extraction. Two larger ponds — known simply as the Big Pond and the Small Pond — emerged on former peatland soil, joined by four smaller pools left behind by minor, localized peat digging. This unusual origin gave the surrounding landscape its distinctive character: reed beds, patches of open water, damp meadows and small stands of trees, all knitted together across former peat-cutting ground.

Why naturalists care about this place

The mix of habitats — ponds, marshland, wet meadows, groves and small woods — makes Hrdibořické rybníky a refuge for an unusually diverse range of plants and animals. It is one of only two known sites in the entire Czech Republic where a rare, narrow-leaved marsh plant still grows, and it also shelters an even rarer species whose known range beyond this location is essentially limited to Poland and areas beyond the Ural Mountains. For botanists, that combination makes a walk along the local paths genuinely rewarding — a chance to encounter plant species that are effectively absent from the rest of the country.

The bird life is just as impressive. A total of 67 bird species have been recorded in and around the reserve, drawn in by the abundant food supply and the variety of microhabitats on offer. The dense reed beds fringing the Big Pond provide nesting cover for waterfowl such as great crested grebes, red-crested pochards and coots, while whooper swans have also been observed here on a seasonal basis. Birdwatchers visiting in spring and early summer, when breeding activity peaks, stand the best chance of spotting this variety of species.

Practical notes for visitors

Hrdibořické rybníky sits within the Haná region, an area otherwise dominated by the flat, intensively farmed landscape of central Moravia. This is not a site built around tourist infrastructure — there are no visitor centers or paved promenades here — and that is precisely the point. Its value lies in its untamed, wetland character. Anyone planning a visit would do well to bring binoculars, since the wealth of waterbirds and marsh-dwelling species is the main draw that keeps naturalists and birders coming back.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hrdibořické rybníky? It is a national nature monument of about 37 hectares, comprising a system of ponds and wetlands that formed on former peatland near the village of Hrdibořice in the Olomouc Region.

When were the ponds formed? The main ponds were created between 1938 and 1963 as a result of peat extraction, making this a relatively young landscape feature rather than a historic fish-farming system.

What makes the site ecologically significant? The presence of very rare marsh plant species found almost nowhere else in the Czech Republic, combined with rich bird life — 67 recorded species, including several that breed in the reed beds around the ponds.

Who is this destination for? Mainly nature lovers, birdwatchers and anyone looking for a quiet walk through wetland scenery — it is not a site with developed tourist infrastructure, but rather a small, ecologically valuable pocket of marshland in the Haná region.