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photos Sultan Sazlığı Bird Paradise

Altitude:
1.071 m.
Location:
Overlapping the counties of Yeşilhisar, Yahyalı and Develi
to the southwest of Mount Erciyes
Area:
14.000 ha.
Photo gallery

photos Sultansazlığı

This wetland, located in the middle of the Yeşilhisar-Develi Plain and known as Sultansazlığı (Sultan Marsh), consists of a freshwater marsh covered with reeds in its southern section, the saline Lake Yay in the northern section, and the barren lands surrounding these two. Sultan Marsh is fed by streams descending from the Ala Mountains in the south as well as by springs with a high output. The Akkoy Dam has been constructed for irrigation purposes on Yeşilhisar Stream, a stream that originates in the Ala Mountains and curves down into the plain from north of Yeşilhisar Country without a well-defined bed. Dundarlı Stream, which comes in from the south and descends into the plain three km. west of the villages of Ovaçiftlik joining the marsh as a delta, has also been dammed up by Kovalı Dam for irrigation purposes. Ağaçasar Dam as well has been built for the purpose of irrigation on Yahyalı Stream, which descends from the Ala Mountains, crossing the County of Yahyalı and reaching the marsh through a number of canals. Develi Stream, which originates on Mountain Koç and crosses Develi Country, flowing on into the plain, disappears near the villages of Sindelhöyük without reaching the lake. It is planned to use the Soysallı spring north of Lake Yay, which have a high output, for irrigation purposes in summer as well, and to channel the rest of the water into the lake. Studies concerning these projects were undertaken in 1960 and culminated in the implementation of the Great Develi Irrigation Project at the beginning of the 1970's. The same project also included draining of Sultan Marsh and Lake Yay. Nevertheless, when the General Directorate of National Parks and Hunting and the Association for the Conservation of Nature in Turkey joined forces to protest the destruction of this important wetland in 1974, their protests won acceptance and appropriate modifications were made in the project, and both the marsh and the lake were spared.

There are number of islands in Lake Yay, a salt water lake is situated between the freshwater marshes on its north and south. These islands are important breeding grounds for birds.

A large part of these freshwater marshes is covered with reeds, and reed communities are encountered growing on the lake floor and floating on its surface as well. Among these extensive beds of reeds and cattails, several small ponds of still water of one hectare or less can be seen. Several species of the underwater plants known as Myrophyllum, a favourite food of ducks, are found in these areas of open water. Such species as Carex, Typha, Juncus and Scirpus are encountered in the north section of Sultan Marsh and Sazdamları marsh north of Lake Yay. Such salt-resistant species as Salicornia are found in the barren areas surrounding the marshes and the lake, while steppe vegetation such as Depioioum, Limmonium, Astragallus and Cynodon are found in the less salty areas.

Freshwater tortoises, water snakes, green frogs, water frogs, and night frogs are encountered in the freshwater marshes and reedbeds, and small fish of the family Cyprinidae are found at the outlets of Soysallı spring and the mouths of Yahyalı and Dundarlı streams. Among mammals, the Shrew (Neomys anomalus) is found in the reedbeds.

Ornithological Importance

Sultan Marsh is one of the largest and most important wetlands in Turkey as well as in the Middle East and Europe. The number of species of birds, both predators and warblers, that visit, winter or breed in this area and its environs, where fresh and saltwater ecosystems are found side by side, is around 250, with extremely high number of certain bird communities during the migration season. Population of Flamingo reach 50.000, Shelduck 10.000 and ducks of various species 600.000. Another salient feature of the area is its importance as the southernmost breeding ground in the Western Palaearctic Region for several species of birds. Pintail Duck, Teal, Tufted Duck and Blackheaded Gull may be cited as examples. The wealth and composition of species, the large populations afforded refuge, the number of varied habitats found side by side and the existing flora and fauna make this a high class a wetland by international standards.

Main Breeding Species:

Flamingo, Spoonbill, White Pelican, Glossy Ibis, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Cattle Egret, Squacco Heron, Night Heron, Great Crested Grebe, Redthroated Diver, Pygmy Cormorant, Little Bittern, Stork, Greyleg Goose, Shelduck, Ruddy Shelduck, Gadwall, Teal Mallard, Pintail Duck, Garganey, Red-crested Pochard, Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Waterhen, Little Crake, Corn Crake, Moorhen, Coot, Crane, Oyster Catcher, Stilt, Avocet, Stone Curlew, Pratincole, Woodcock, Redshank, Blackheaded Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Common Tern, Whiskered Tern, Least Tern, White-winged Black Tern and, in the barren areas, Sandgrouse.

Visitors and Wintering Species:

Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Cormorant, Pygmy Cormorant, Dalmatian Pelican, Bittern, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Black Stock, Flamingo, Mute Swan, Greyleg Goose, White-fronted Goose, Shelduck, Ruddy Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pintail Duck, Garganey, Shoveler, Marbled Teal, Red-crested Pochard, Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Smew, Stiff-tailed Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Stilt, Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Dotterel, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Green Plover, Spurwing Plover, Ruff, Godwit, Curlew, Sandpipers, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Lesser Blackbacked Gull and Herring Gull.


List of birds of Sultansazlığı
MAMMALS
Porcupine
Miller's watershrew
Etruscan shrew
Shrew
Bat
Wolf
Fox
Veasel
Marbled polecat
Wild Boar
Brown Hare
Lesser Molerat
Woodmaouse
Rat
Gray Hamster
Golden Hamster
Desert Rat
Water Vole
Common Vole
BIRDS:
Little Grebe
Great Grested Grebe
Red Necked Grebe
Black Necked Grebe
Comorant
Pygmy comorant
White Pelican
Dalmatian Pelican
Bittern
Night Horen
Squacco Heron
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Great While Egret
Gray Heron
Purple Heron
Black Stork
White Stork
Glossy This
Spoonbill
Great Flamingo
Mute Swan
Pink froot goose
White froot goose
Greylag goose
Ruddy Sheiduck
Sheiduck
Wiegon
Gadwall
Teal
Mallard
Pintail
Chuckar
Patridge
Quail
Water Rail
Zpotted Crake
Little Crake
Cornerake
Moorhen
Purple Gallinule
Coot
Crane
Little Bustard
Great Bustard
Oystercatcher
Black winged still
Avocet
Stone Curlew
Collared Pratincole
Little ringed plover
Ringed Plover
Kentlis Plover
Great Sandplover
Dottorel
Golden plover
Silver Plover
Spur winged Plover
Sociable Plover
Labwing
Sanderling
Little Stint
Temmick's Stint
Scops Owl
Eagle Owl
Little Owl
Tawny Owl
Long Eared Owl
Short Eared Owl
Nightjar
Swift
Alpine Swift
Kingfisher
Bee Eater
Roller
Hoope
Weryneck
Syrian Woodpecker
Calaranda Lark
Bimacullated Lark
Field Lark
Lesser Short Toed Lark
Woodiark
Grested Lark
Skylark
Shorelark
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Crag martin
Tawny Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Red Thorated Pipit
Water and Rock Pipit
Blueheaded &Yellow Wagtails
Citrine Wagtail
White and Pied Wagtail
Wren
Hedgesparrow or Dunnock
Spotted Flycatcher
Collared Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher
Bearded
Long Tailed
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Rock Nuthatch
Penduline Tit
Golden Oriole
Backed Shrike
Lesser Grey Shrike
Masked Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Hooded Crow
Garganey
Shoveler
Marbled Duck
Red Crested Pechard
Pochard
Ferruginous Duck
Smew
Honey Buzzard
Black Kite
Egyption Vulture
Griffon Vulture
Short Toed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Pallaid Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Goshewk
Sparrowhank
Buzzard
Long legged Buzzard
Lesser Spotted Eagle
Steppe Eagle
Imperial Eagle
Golden Eagle
Booted Eagle
Osprey
Lesser Kenstrel
Kestrel
Red Footed Falcon
Merlin
Hobby
Lanner Falcon
Seker Falcon
Curlew Sandpiper
Dunlin
Ruff
Snipe
Blact tailed godwit
Whimbrel
Curlew
Spotted Redshank
Redshank
Greenhank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Red Necked Phalorope
Mediterranean Gull
Little Gull
Black handed Gull
Slander Billed Gull
Common Gull
Lesser Black black
Herring Gull
Gull billed Tern
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Little Tern
Whiskered Tern
Black Bellied Sandgrou
Rock Dove
Collored Dove
Turtle Dove
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Rofous Buchchat
Robin
Thrus Nightingale
Nightingale
Blue Throat
White Throated Robin
Black Redstart
Redstart
Whinchat
Stonechat
Wheatear
Black Eared Wheatear
Isabelina Wheatear
Finsch's Wheatear
Rock Thrush
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Mistle Thrush
Cettis Warbler
River Warbler
Sawi's Warbler
Moustached Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Reed Warbler
Great reed Warbler
Olive Tree Warbler
Olivacous Warbler
Lesser White Throad
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Bonelli's Warbler
Wood Warbler
Chiffchaft
Waillow Warbler
Goldcrest
Starling
Rose Coloured Starling
Rock Sparrow
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Chaffinch
Brambling
Serin
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Linnet
Twite
Crimson Winged finch
Common Rosefinch
Yellowhammer
Cinerecaus Bunting
Black Headed Bunting
Corn Bunting
OTHER ANIMALS:
Reptiles Tails Amphibians
Swamp Turtle
Grecian Tortoise
Agemes
Starred Lizard
Cappadocian Lizard
Osphisaps Elegans
Caspian Arrowsnake
Grass snake
Natrix Tesellata
Green Toad
Tree Toad
Fishes
Carps
Cobies
Sailton Pupfish
Hymenoptera
Libellae
  
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