Żabie Doły Nature Area

Between the housing estates of Bytom, Chorzów and Piekary Śląskie lies a patchwork of ponds and reed beds that hosts an unusually large population of the little bittern, Poland's smallest heron. Żabie Doły ("Frog Hollows") grew out of subsidence pits, settling ponds and spoil heaps left by mines and smelters. Today it is a protected nature and landscape area of 226.2 hectares, safeguarded since 1997. A walk along the flat paths on former railway embankments shows how quickly nature can reclaim industrial land.

Where the ponds came from

For centuries there were silver, zinc and lead mines here, later coal mines, with zinc and iron works smoking nearby. Some of the ponds are former flotation settling tanks of the Orzeł Biały mining and smelting plant, but most formed on their own: the ground subsided above the workings of the Barbara-Chorzów colliery and the hollows filled with water. When industry declined at the end of the 20th century, birds, amphibians and insects returned to the wasteland. The name refers to the amphibians – 9 species have been recorded.

Birds and dragonflies

Ornithologists have recorded 129 bird species, 76 of them breeding, and 17 of these are scarce in Upper Silesia. The little bittern is shy and hard to spot, but in the breeding season you can hear its distinctive croaking from the reeds early in the morning and in the evening. Unusually for herons, males and females look clearly different. Great crested grebes, coots and noisy colonies of black-headed gulls are easier to see, and water rails and common snipe hide at the edge of the reeds. There are also 27 species of dragonfly, including the protected Siberian winter damsel and two southern species.

What to see

• Paths on the embankments – the city built surfaced trails about 9.45 km long on the embankment of railway line 145 and a former narrow-gauge line.
• Facilities from 2018 – shelters, paths, birdwatching points and artificial islands where birds rest and nest.
• Bunkers of the pre-war Silesian Fortified Area.
• Fishing ponds – two of the ponds are used by anglers.

Tripto tip

Entry is free, the area is open all year, and the regional tourist board lists parking among the facilities. Allow 1.5–2 hours for a walk around the main ponds; by bike you can cover more. The best time for birds is a spring or early-summer morning – bring binoculars and stay on the paths so as not to disturb birds in the reeds. Informal paths along the old narrow-gauge route lead to the Dolina Górnika recreation area in Chorzów. Some embankments now belong to a private company that planned to remove them; the matter was the subject of administrative proceedings in 2023, so some paths may change.