Feature: Türkiye's Ankara lakes welcome migratory birds

Flamingos fly over the Sel Kapani Dam Lake in Ankara, Türkiye, on May 14, 2024. Flamingos, herons, pelicans... Türkiye's migratory bird species have returned to the capital city Ankara's lakes and ponds this year, much to the delight of local bird watchers. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Flamingos, herons, pelicans... Türkiye's migratory bird species have returned to the capital city Ankara's lakes and ponds this year, much to the delight of local bird watchers.

Only a short drive away from the bustling city of 6 million people, the Sel Kapani Dam Lake and Lake Mogan, located in the Golbasi district, host many varieties of migratory water birds each spring and summer.

On a chilly but sunny morning, Melih Ozbek, a wildlife photographer as well as a bird-watcher and activist, was busy taking pictures in the Sel Kapani Dam Lake, a wetland habitat surrounded by shallow pools, reeds and fields with substantial numbers of birds, including pink flamingos.

"Many species come to Ankara's lakes for a stopover or to breed. Therefore, Lake Mogan and nearby wetlands stand as an oasis for migratory birds," he told Xinhua.

"You don't see many cities with so many species of migratory birds. Ankara stands out in this regard," said the bird-watcher.

Among the other bird species reproducing at Lake Mogan and nearby ponds are wild ducks, great crested grebe, little grebe, squacco heron, and little bittern, to name a few.

Lake Mogan was declared a Specially Protected Environment Area in 1990. In winter months, one can see seabirds coming from northern countries to Türkiye, and in summer, species like ferruginous duck and red-crested pochard incubate their eggs here.

Ozbek explained that half of the bird species in Türkiye can be seen in Lake Mogan and nearby wetlands, making it a paradise for bird watchers.

Türkiye is geographically situated on the Mediterranean-Black Sea migration route, a major winter bird migration pathway. Birds of various species migrate from Europe to Africa in the autumn, crossing over Turkish skies before returning home along the same route in the spring.

However, Türkiye's bird population faces threats from both human and natural factors.

According to Türkiye's non-profit Nature Association, 55 percent of over 300 bird species in Türkiye have decreased in number over the past decade due to the destruction of their natural habitats, primarily resulting from water projects.

For years, people have drained wetlands for agricultural purposes or development projects, causing habitat loss, according to a report published in May 2023 by the association.

It noted that droughts also continue to rise, adding that Anatolia's wetlands have been destroyed by incorrect water and agricultural policies for half a century.

Türkiye is a party to the Ramsar Convention, a treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. Yet, alarm bells are ringing for some wetlands, though conservation efforts are underway.

"Wetlands are increasingly shrinking in Anatolia. Some ponds and lakes have already dried out," which is caused by detrimental human activities and climate change, Ozbek said.

Meanwhile, "there are tens of thousands of unlicensed wells in central Anatolia that harm wetlands and even create giant sinkholes," he added. ■

Flamingos fly over the Sel Kapani Dam Lake in Ankara, Türkiye, on May 14, 2024. Flamingos, herons, pelicans... Türkiye's migratory bird species have returned to the capital city Ankara's lakes and ponds this year, much to the delight of local bird watchers. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

A pelican is seen at the Sel Kapani Dam Lake in Ankara, Türkiye, on May 14, 2024. Flamingos, herons, pelicans... Türkiye's migratory bird species have returned to the capital city Ankara's lakes and ponds this year, much to the delight of local bird watchers. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

Flamingos are pictured at the Sel Kapani Dam Lake in Ankara, Türkiye, on May 14, 2024. Flamingos, herons, pelicans... Türkiye's migratory bird species have returned to the capital city Ankara's lakes and ponds this year, much to the delight of local bird watchers. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

Flamingos are pictured at the Sel Kapani Dam Lake in Ankara, Türkiye, on May 14, 2024. Flamingos, herons, pelicans... Türkiye's migratory bird species have returned to the capital city Ankara's lakes and ponds this year, much to the delight of local bird watchers. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

Flamingos are pictured at the Sel Kapani Dam Lake in Ankara, Türkiye, on May 14, 2024. Flamingos, herons, pelicans... Türkiye's migratory bird species have returned to the capital city Ankara's lakes and ponds this year, much to the delight of local bird watchers. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)