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TR022
Büyük Menderes Delta
Location Turkey, Aydin
Central coordinates 27o 11.00' East  37o 32.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2
Area 16,960 ha
Altitude 0 - 100m
Year of IBA assessment 2004

Doga Dernegi (Partner Designate)



Ornithological information The area is important for breeding and wintering waterbirds.

Site description Situated at the junction between the Büyük Menderes river and the Aegean, the delta comprises lagoons (separated from the sea by a narrow sandbar), extensive salt-steppe and mudflats. A north-south running motorway forms the eastern border of the IBA; west of this salt-steppe has been partially converted to arable land. To the north the delta is bordered by the hills and mountains of the Dilek peninsula. Human activities include cattle- and sheep-grazing.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea non-breeding  1992  200 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope winter  1992  5,623 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus winter  -  6,290-14,899 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus breeding  -  42 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4i, B1i, B2  Vulnerable 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus winter  -  137-434 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Vulnerable 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  1989  130-350 individuals  -  A1  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo winter  1996  1,000-3,005 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Common Coot Fulica atra winter  -  21,000-32,535 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta winter  -  106-1,000 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  -  150 breeding pairs  -  B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus winter  2002  530 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  -  85 breeding pairs  -  B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia breeding  -  6 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia passage  -  97 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  -  29,982-72,697 individuals  -  A4iii   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Menderes delta Other Area 10,000 protected area contains site 9,800  
Menderes Delta NP National Park 27,675 protected area contains site 16,960  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Coastline Lagoons; Mud flats & sand flats; Salt marshes  80%
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  20%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 20%
fisheries/aquaculture 30%
hunting 15%
not utilised 35%

Management considerations Irrigation projects, including 13 reservoirs, have been and are being developed on the Büyük Menderes river with severe consequences for large tracts of natural habitat. Industrial and untreated urban waste enters the lagoons via the river, and, along with water-level fluctuations and over-fishing, has caused fisheries to collapse. There is considerable pressure to build holiday homes. From 1991 to 1995 DHKD ran an education project both in this site and Bafa lake (site 021), and have assisted the National Park authorities in drawing up a management plan.

Protection status National High International None9,800 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Menderes Deltasý, 27,675 ha). 9,800 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Menderes Deltasý, 9,800 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Büyük Menderes Delta. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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