Türkiye’s 4-pronged protection campaign for bird species

By Enes Duran

ANKARA (AA) – The General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, affiliated to the Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, carries out effective protection studies for bird species, including leg ringing, marking, census, and attaching transmitters to the birds.

According to the data from the ministry, various methods are used for the protection and monitoring of birds.

Ringing, marking, and placing various transmitters on birds, as well as direct observation and counting methods, provide important data on bird migrations and habitats.

Of the four bird-ringing stations in Türkiye, Cernek in Türkiye’s Black Sea province of Samsun, Aras in eastern Igdir province, Eymir in the capital Ankara, and Bogazkent in Mediterranean Antalya province continue to work actively.

Last year, thanks to the studies coordinated by the institution throughout the country, 28,380 birds from 200 species were ringed.

Turkish researches, last year, obtained feedback data on 35 birds from 15 different species. The oldest feedback was recorded when a lesser black-backed gull, which was ringed in Finland in 2012 was seen live in Türkiye, 2,809 kilometers (1,745 miles) away from the place where it first ringed last year.

Feedback data was obtained for 39 birds from 13 different species in 2021 and 30 birds from 15 different species in 2020.

According to the data, in 2021 Turkish scientists obtained feedback data for 39 birds from 13 different species, and in 2020, for 30 birds from 15 different species.

As part of monitoring studies, scientists attached transmitters to three steppe eagles and two cranes in 2019, one Eurasian griffon vulture and one cinereous vulture in 2020, to four cranes and one steppe eagles in 2021, and to one crane and one steppe eagle last year.

Also, waterfowls are counted every year in the wetlands through observations during the winter period.

These studies are carried out between Jan. 15 and Feb. 15 every year in areas that are important for waterfowls.

In the studies conducted last year across Türkiye, 1,396,369 water birds from 104 bird species were counted in 135 locations.

The ministry also prepared action plans for some endangered bird species such as Great bustard, Dalmatian pelican, Crane, Eastern imperial eagle, and Northern bald ibis.