Kategori : ENERGY AGENDA NEWS - Tarih : 22 June 2021
Every year, tens of thousands of birds breed in the Gediz Delta, which is located in the city of Izmir, whose population exceeds 4.5 million. With the breeding bird atlas studies completed in June, the breeding birds in the Gediz Delta were recorded. Distribution of breeding birds in the delta and threats to these species were determined. In the study, it was determined that 114 bird species breed in the Gediz Delta, which is preparing to become a UNESCO World Natural Heritage.
Gediz Delta, a wetland ecosystem of international importance, is one of the 312 Important Natural Areas 
(KBA) in Turkey, where tens of thousands of birds breed every year. The breeding bird species and distributions of the Gediz Delta were revealed with the breeding bird atlas study carried out by Nature Association experts, with the permissions of the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks and DKMP İzmir Branch Office, and with the support of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality in kind and with vehicles. The breeding bird atlas study, which is a continuation of the Bird Migration Monitoring Program that started in April with the participation of volunteers in the field, was completed on 15 June. At the end of the study, a reproduction map of each bird breeding in the Gediz Delta was created.
One of the Two Breeding Areas of Flamingos in Turkey
Gediz Delta, which hosts approximately 10% of the world’s flamingo population, is also one of the two areas where flamingos breed in Turkey. On the flamingo breeding island in the Gediz Delta, which meets the UNESCO World Natural Heritage criteria, 18 to 20 thousand flamingos hatch every year. This year, tens of thousands of baby flamingos were born in the Gediz Delta. Gediz Delta, which is a natural area where İzmir city and wildlife are intertwined, is a wetland ecosystem where bird species such as crested pelicans, small kestrels, spur spurs, black-billed terns, maple plover and bigeye breed as well as flamingos.
The Works were carried out with the Participation of Volunteers
The Gediz Delta Breeding Bird Atlas studies carried out by the Nature Association team took place with the participation of volunteers. The fieldwork, which started in May, was completed on June 15 with the support of volunteers from different regions of Turkey. Volunteers participating in the studies gained experience in bird watching and had the chance to learn from bird watchers who are experts in their field, how monitoring studies are carried out for breeding birds.
Thanks to the Studies, Changes in the Area and Breeding Bird Species were Observed
Nature Association Biodiversity Research Coordinator Şafak Arslan said the following regarding the breeding bird atlas studies they carried out in the Gediz Delta: “In 2021, we started regular bird watching activities in the Gediz Delta. As of the first week of May, we have implemented a bird atlas that reproduces in the entire delta. The last bird atlas study in the delta with the same method was done in 2006. Thanks to this study, we have seen the change in the area and breeding bird species. During the study, we witnessed the breeding processes of 114 bird species. This number is more than one third of the number of bird species breeding in Turkey. When compared with the study conducted in 2006, we found that species such as swan, cuckoo, slender-billed gull, red bunting, oriole and raven did not breed in the delta in those years, but they have now started to breed. As in previous studies, we recorded that the stepbird, whose extinction is threatened on a global scale, also reproduces in the delta. We observed that bird species such as prairie weed and gray chinte are unfortunately no longer breeding in the area. At the end of the study, we created a reproduction map for each species. Thanks to these maps, the nest location of each bird breeding in the delta was determined. Our aim is to protect and ensure the continuity of these areas, which are the living areas of the Gediz Delta. We hope that in any negative project that will threaten the biological diversity in the delta, our work will be used as a base by decision makers and the habitats of the birds will not be destroyed. After the breeding bird atlas, we will continue the routine bird watching activities in the delta. We will continue our work in the delta with migration monitoring work in the autumn migration period.”
Two Million-Year-Old UNESCO World Natural Heritage Candidate
Dicle Tuba Kılıç, Chairman of the Board of Nature Association, emphasizing the importance of the breeding bird atlas study in İzmir’s Gediz Delta in terms of the process carried out for the delta to be declared a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, said in a statement on the subject: “The Gediz Delta meets UNESCO’s World Natural Heritage criteria. An internationally important wetland. Since our establishment in 2002, we have been working to ensure that this unique natural area continues to live without any damage. One pillar of the work we carry out in this context is the research we carry out to monitor the biological diversity in the Gediz Delta. The Gediz Delta Breeding Bird Atlas study we carried out is very valuable in terms of revealing the bird diversity in the delta. With this study, a comprehensive analysis of the breeding birds in the Gediz Delta was made.
