Türkiye bird count records 14,190 birds and flags wetland pressure

What happened

European Birdwatch Day activities took place on 3 and 4 October 2026. In Türkiye, 772 volunteers joined 26 events in 14 provinces and recorded a combined 14,190 birds.

The largest Turkish gathering was a raptor-migration observation at Toygar Tepe in Beykoz, Istanbul. Counts at Büyük Çamlıca included 1,128 lesser spotted eagles, 687 hawks and 17 black storks. Observers at Kıyıköy on the Black Sea coast recorded 1,634 hawks.

Wetland surveys also recorded species of conservation concern. At Lake Mogan in Ankara, observers reported white-headed ducks, listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, and eastern imperial eagles, listed as Vulnerable. Records in Birecik included Iraq babblers, see-see partridges and sand partridges.

Across Europe, 927 events were held in 28 countries, attracting 23,667 participants and producing a count of 4.8 million birds. Finland recorded the highest totals, driven by migrating barnacle geese, while Hungary hosted 176 events.

Why it matters

The observations point to habitat conditions at sites used by birds moving between Europe and Africa, as well as by wetland species within Türkiye. At the Alaçatı Wetland near Çeşme, where 179 bird species have previously been recorded, observers found that water levels had declined and that plastic waste was exposed in the remaining wetland area.

For organisations involved in land use, water management, tourism and local conservation, the findings underline the importance of monitoring habitat changes alongside species records. The material does not set out any new legal requirement or formal response measure.

Background

The annual European Birdwatch Day programme has been organised by BirdLife International since 1993. Doğa Derneği is BirdLife International's partner in Türkiye.

In autumn, soaring birds breeding in Europe travel towards Africa. Eagles, hawks and storks use rising warm air over land, concentrating at narrow sea crossings such as the Istanbul Strait rather than crossing broad stretches of water.