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TR064
Ereğli Plain
Location Turkey, Karaman,Konya
Central coordinates 34o 4.00' East  37o 41.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, B1i, B2, B3
Area 129,400 ha
Altitude 998 m
Year of IBA assessment 2004

Doga Dernegi (Partner Designate)



Ornithological information The IBA is very important for a range of breeding waterbirds, although numbers have fallen in recent years due to low water-levels. Winter counts that have produced up to 30,000 waterbirds in the past have also shown a large decline, again due to low water-levels and the effects of severe winters.

Site description A complex of shallow marshes, reedbeds (Phragmites), freshwater lakes and salt-steppe situated in the Ereðli plain and bordered by mountains to the north and south. The lakes cover 6,400 ha at their maximum extent and are fed by drainage channels. The area also includes surrounding agricultural land, parts of which flood during winter. Human activities include crop production, sheep-grazing and reed-cutting (`Other' land-use).

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea winter  1996  460-3,016 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Gadwall Anas strepera breeding  1991  20 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris breeding  1993  5 breeding pairs  -  A1, B1i, B2  Vulnerable 
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina breeding  1993  300-500 breeding pairs  -  B1i  Least Concern 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala passage  1994  494 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Endangered 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala breeding  1998  20-25 breeding pairs  -  A1, B1i, B2  Endangered 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus breeding  1993  300 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus breeding  1991  50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia non-breeding  1991  250 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia breeding  1998  10-20 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  1991  30-50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus passage  -  525-1,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus breeding  1998  15-20 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus unknown  1991  38-62 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Vulnerable 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus breeding  1991  500-600 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4i, B1i, B3  Least Concern 
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni breeding  -  30-35 breeding pairs  -  A1  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus breeding  1990  2-3 breeding pairs  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus winter  1992  253 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1991  600 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus breeding  1991  20 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii breeding  -  120-150 breeding pairs  -  B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  1991  50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1991  60 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Eregli Sazligi SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863) 37,000 protected area contained by site 37,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Steppes and dry calcareous grassland  20%
Wetlands (inland) Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  60%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  20%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
military -
other -

Management considerations As a result of reduced water inputs the lake has retreated drastically, and thousands of hectares of wetland have been converted to agriculture. Further irrigation is planned. Inputs are expected to cease entirely once two new reservoirs have been constructed. Agricultural, industrial and untreated urban pollutants enter the lake via drainage channels. Military usage of the Ereðli plain may increase.

Protection status National High International None6,787 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Ereðli Sazlýðý, 6,787 ha). 37,000 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Ereðli Sazlýðý, 37,000 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ereğli Plain. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife