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TR052
Sultan Marsh
Location Turkey, Kayseri
Central coordinates 35o 16.00' East  38o 22.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3
Area 45,350 ha
Altitude 1,074 m
Year of IBA assessment 2004

Doga Dernegi (Partner Designate)



Ornithological information The site holds significant numbers of a range of breeding, wintering and passage waterbirds. Large numbers of Phoenicopterus ruber, Grus grus and Recurvirostra avosetta use the wetland in autumn. Chettusia leucura apparently bred in 1996.

Site description The IBA lies in the Develi closed basin, surrounded by mountains. The wetland comprises a series of salt, brackish and freshwater lakes, and extensive marshes, and reaches 20,000 ha at its maximum extent. The salt-lakes are surrounded by Salicornia steppe; the southern marshes comprise vast reedbeds (Phragmites) interspersed with expanses of Typha, Juncus and Carex. Human activities include sheep- and cattle-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  1990  267-539 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea non-breeding  -  215-2,283 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Gadwall Anas strepera breeding  -  20 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Common Teal Anas crecca winter  1999  5,710-23,732 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris breeding  -  5 breeding pairs  -  A1, B1i, B2  Vulnerable 
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris passage  1998  121 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Vulnerable 
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina breeding  1994  300-400 breeding pairs  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca breeding  1991  30-50 breeding pairs  -  A1, B2  Near Threatened 
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala breeding  1994  20 breeding pairs  -  A1, B2  Endangered 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus passage  -  1,000-59,150 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus breeding  1994  75 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia passage  1988  138 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  -  70 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  1996  50-850 individuals  -  A1, B1i  Least Concern 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus breeding  1994  200 breeding pairs  -  A1, B1i, B3  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus breeding  -  20 breeding pairs  -  B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus winter  -  43-150 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1994  390 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta passage  1994  2,115 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus breeding  1994  20 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  -  100 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii breeding  -  50-100 breeding pairs  -  B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  -  50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica breeding  -  50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  1994  100 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida breeding  1994  400 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  1999  27,373 individuals  -  A4iii   
A4iii Species group - waterbirds passage  -  27,258-129,801 individuals  -  A4iii   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Sultan Marshes Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 17,200 protected area contained by site 17,200  
Sultansazligi SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863) 17,200 protected area contained by site 17,200  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Grassland Steppes and dry calcareous grassland  40%
Wetlands (inland) Standing brackish and salt water; Water fringe vegetation  55%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  5%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 10%
nature conservation and research 50%
tourism/recreation 20%
not utilised 20%
other -

Management considerations Agricultural intensification and associated water management in the basin poses a serious threat˜reduced water inputs and a lack of rainfall led to the wetland drying up in 1990 and 1991. The wetland can only be preserved if further expansion of the irrigation scheme is cancelled. Industrial, agricultural and untreated urban waste enters through drainage channels. Tourists cause disturbance, and uncontrolled reed-cutting takes place (`Other' threat). Illegal hunting of falcons occurs on the surrounding steppe. The management plan covers developing ecotourism at the site.

Protection status National High International Partial17,200 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Sultansazlýðý, 17,200 ha). 39,000 ha of IBA covered by Permanent Wildlife Reserve (Sultansazlýðý, 45,000 ha). 17,200 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Sultansazlýðý, 17,200 ha). 17,200 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Sultansazlýðý, 17,200 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Sultan Marsh. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

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