Turkey; In addition to being a bridge for migrating birds between the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, it is also a very important country because it is located on two major bird migration routes in the world, has more than 400 migratory species, and is a feeding and breeding area.

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Hatay is the gateway to Turkey for species that spend the winter in Africa.

Especially the mountain range along the Mediterranean coast of the region creates a bottleneck for gliding birds.

Every year, millions of birds of prey, storks and others enter Anatolia through this route.

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While individuals heading for the Caucasus pass through the Eastern Anatolian geography and reach the eastern borders, individuals on their European journey reach Thrace by using the Istanbul and Çanakkale Straits. Therefore, the Bosphorus hosts a great feast in every migration period.

Many of the species that reach their breeding grounds and raise their young return to their wintering grounds via the same route in autumn.

In addition to all these, millions of waterfowl visit the wetlands in Turkey for wintering, departing from their breeding areas further north during the winter months.

Areas such as the Kızılırmak Delta and the Gediz Delta are important for wintering water birds.

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Amanos Mountains , Bosphorus , Coruh Valley and Eastern Black Sea Mountains KBAs

(Important Natural Areas) are among the areas with high density and vital importance in terms of migratory bird population.

Following migratory birds, bird watching contains many details in itself. However, our advice would be to turn your attention to this direction if there is an important bird area while you are on your holiday or on the way to or from. Because Anatolia is located on bird migration routes and is rich in wetlands that contain abundant food reserves for birds.

Thus, we will see that there is an important bird area near our route.

Although some Manyas are not as well-known as bird paradise or Kızılırmak Basin, they definitely deserve to be seen.

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IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS OF THE MARMARA REGION:

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We have selected 32 important bird areas for you.

Çanakkale Strait-Kaz Mountains-Saros Gulf-Terkos Basin-Uluabat Lake-Manyas Bird Lake-İğneada Forests-Bosphorus-Istanbul Islands-Omerli Basin-Iznik Lake-Sapanca Lake

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As you can see, we have a great chance to live in a geography where we can come across migratory birds even when we raise our heads a little higher. In fact, all we have to do is turn our heads to the sky during the migration season of birds.

It is possible to see the birds descending to the wetlands to rest in the basins not far from the settlements.

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IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS OF THE AEGEAN REGION:

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Çeşme- Alaçatı- Foça Peninsula- Gediz Delta- Dilek Peninsula- Datça and Bozburun Peninsulas-

Bafa Lake- Güllük Gulf-Spil Mountain- Honaz Mountain- MUrat Mountain

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There is hardly anyone who does not spend their summer vacation in the Aegean Region.

At least during your holiday, even though there is no migration season, you can turn your direction towards these important bird areas.

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There are 34 important bird areas identified in the Aegean region.

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IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS OF THE CENTRAL ANATOLIA REGION:

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Salt Lake, Akşehir Lake, Eber Lake, Kula, Seyfe, Sultansazlığı and Palas Lakes.

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IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

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Seyhan, Ceyhan and Göksu Deltas; Amanos, Bolkar and Beydaglari; Tuzla Lake, Yumurtalık Lagoon.

Köyceğiz Lake-Dalaman Plain- Fethiye- Kaş-Kalkan- Salda Lake-Burdur Lake-Tahtalı Mountains-Samandağ Dunes

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Our Mediterranean Region is so rich in this regard that there are 73 important bird areas identified.

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IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS OF THE EASTERN ANATOLIA REGION:

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Munzur Mountains; Bulanık and Malazgirt Plain and Arın, Erçek and Haçlı Lakes, Van Marshes- Yüksekova- Upper Murat River.

https://www.trthaber.com/foto-galeri/dogu-anadolu-bir-gunde-170-turden-gocmen-kusu-agirladi/35651/page-1.html

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IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS OF SOUTH EAST ANATOLIA REGION:

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Adıyaman-Gölbaşı Lakes -South Euphrates Valley and Birecik Steppes- Harran Ruins- Ceylanpınar- Karacadağ- Devegeçidi Dam

-Bismil Plain- Mardin Threshold- Tigris Valley- Eruh Mountains- Cizre and Silopi- Cudi Mountain

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IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS OF THE BLACK SEA REGION:

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Kızılırmak Delta- Kelkit Valley- Sarıkum Desert- Eastern Black Sea and Ilgaz Mountains.

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The Eastern Black Sea Region has an important position in terms of bird migrations with universal dimensions. The Northeast-South migration route is one of the important migration routes passing through Turkey. A very important part of this migration route, in the form of a collecting funnel, is located in the Eastern Black Sea Region. Birds regularly migrate over the region every year by using the north-south and east-west directions as well as the northeast-south migration route. Among these birds, there are also species that are in danger of extinction. Migratory birds face many dangers during this time.

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