The peat therapy resort Moorbad Gmös in the vicinity of the town of Laakirchen (situated on the edge of the Salzkammergut) is one of the few bogs in the Alpine foothills of Upper Austria. The bog dates back to the Mindel glaciation and was created by a "dead-ice hole". In 1987 the local authorities of Upper Austria declared the area of 3.4 ha of the Gmöser Moor a natural preserve. A path around the area has since then given the visitor the opportunity of observing rare flora and fauna. In 2002 the spa was chosen as background scenery for the TV-production Schlosshotel Orth.
About the area
The habitat was formed on a moraine of the Mindel glaciation and forms one of the few bogs in the Alpine foothills on the east side of the Traun River. Up to the time that humans began to interfere with nature, a bog landscape with its variety of flora and fauna was able to develop. Due to cultivation of the bog landscape by man (drainage, peat-working, litter-harvesting etc.) the 3.4 ha Gmöser Moor can today be designated as a carr or fen which the original forms of flora and fauna have survived.
This was the reason that the Gmöser Moor was declared to be a natural preserve in 1987.
Fauna
Due to the number of animals – of which some are severely endangered and all under protection – the Gmöser Moor represents a unique refuge and environment in form of a biotope for the region. For example, there are amphibians such as yellow-bellied toads (Bombina variegata) – decidedly water inhabitants – and reptiles such as the grass snake (Natrix natrix) which live in damp forests, fens and bogs.
A great number of bird species find the best conditions for breeding and have been observed for a number of years.
The fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) is to be found her with the only breeding colony of the whole area.
The marsh warbler (Acrocephalus palustris) is not solely bound to reed landscapes, but is mainly to be found in bushy areas. It is a summer guest for us and spends the winter in Africa.
The whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) can be found in the surrounding meadows, as it is a typical meadow bird, which breeds on the ground. In the surroundings of the Gmöser Moor this bird could only be observed one or two times when breeding. The whinchat is also a summer guest in Austria and spends the winter in Africa
The Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea) remains with us all year round. It breeds in caves and draws the observer's attention to itself by being able to crawl headfirst down trees.
The golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus) only visits as a summer guest at the end of April on its return journey from Africa. It only breeds irregularly in Gmös, whereby its nest is strictly obscured high up in the trees. The male bird can be easily recognized by its bright yellow and black feathers.
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) can be observed over all open areas with flat wings spread and then pouncing down with closed wings on its prey of mice or other small mammals.
Other observed bird species:
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), grey partridge (Perdix perdix), pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), quail (Coturnix coturnix), moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), skylark (Alauda arvensis), wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), robin (Erithacus rubecula), black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros), blackbird (Turdus merula), song thrush (Turdus philomelos), garden warbler (Sylvia borin), blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), goldcrest (Regulus regulus), common firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus), spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata), marsh tit (Poecile palustris), blue tit (Parus caeruleus), great tit (Parus major), coal tit (Periparus ater), short-toed treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), European magpie (Pica pica), carrion crow (Corvus corone), tree sparrow (Passer montanus), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), greenfinch (Carduelis chloris), goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) und reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus).