The Piatra Șoimilor nature reserve covers an area of 1.5 hectares, located west of the town of Băile Tușnad, on the left bank of the Olt river, in the southeastern extremity of the Harghita volcanic chain, on the eastern slope of the Pilișca Mare volcanic cone.
The most spectacular view is offered by the Piatra Şoimilor andesite tower (824 m), which rises above the Olt valley and offers an impressive panorama. The reserve is famous for the rare yellow flowers that grow here, Teleki's Vulture (Hieracium telekianum) and Onalta Vulture (Hieracium piloselloides).
The reserve is also home to other rare protected plants such as sedge (Sempervivum marmoreum), prickly heather (Hypericum perforatum) and mountain gorse (Cytisus hirsutus). In the summer months, along the Corbul and Miner streams, you can admire the sheep's milkweed (Telekia speciosa), which can sometimes reach 2 meters in height.
The fauna of the reserve includes various forest birds such as the great horned owl (Strix uralensis), the owl (Bubo bubo), the woodpecker (Sitta europaea), the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), the woodpecker (Troglodytes troglodytes) and the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). Also present are diurnal birds of prey such as the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), the osprey (Accipiter nisus), the red falcon (Falco tinnunculus), the pigeon osprey (Accipiter gentilis) and sometimes the lesser screaming eagle (Aquila pomarina).
A frequent phenomenon in the area is the appearance of the brown bear, which is why visiting the reserve in the evening or at night is not recommended.
