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TR073
Göksu Delta
Location Turkey, Icel
Central coordinates 33o 59.00' East  36o 18.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, A4iv, B1i, B1iv, B2
Area 21,610 ha
Altitude
Year of IBA assessment 2004

Doga Dernegi (Partner Designate)



Ornithological information The site is of major importance for a range of breeding waterbirds, including the largest numbers of Marmaronetta angustirostris known in Turkey. It is also important for wintering raptors and waterbirds, and as a stop-over site for large numbers of Pelecanus onocrotalus and Ciconia ciconia. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Haliaeetus albicilla (wintering) and Larus audouinii. 332 bird species have been recorded, 90 are thought to breed.

Site description The majority of the delta is used intensively by man and comprises agricultural land, settlements, wetlands, sand-dunes and beaches. Akgöl lake is a permanent nutrient-rich freshwater lake supporting rich marsh vegetation (including extensive Potamogeton, Scirpus, Typha and Phragmites beds). Saltmarsh surrounds the major lakes; the dunes are of particular conservation interest due to their intact and dynamic nature.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Greylag Goose Anser anser winter  1995  680-1,450 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope winter  1996  6,150-11,648 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Common Teal Anas crecca winter  1992  14,952 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris breeding  1995  50 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4i, B1i, B2  Vulnerable 
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca breeding  1995  30 breeding pairs  -  A1, B2  Near Threatened 
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus winter  -  1,000-2,951 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Black Stork Ciconia nigra passage  1995  268 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
White Stork Ciconia ciconia passage  -  5,000-22,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus passage  1991  2,500 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  -  150 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  -  70 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  -  50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus winter  1992  28-56 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Vulnerable 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  1996  46-180 individuals  -  A1  Least Concern 
Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga winter  1995  6-20 individuals  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca winter  1993  6 individuals  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio breeding  -  300 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Common Coot Fulica atra winter  1995  25,000-36,240 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Common Crane Grus grus winter  -  50-291 individuals  -  B1i  Least Concern 
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus breeding  -  60 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus breeding  -  300 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus breeding  -  200 breeding pairs  -  B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  -  300 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii non-breeding  -  68 individuals  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  -  150 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis breeding  -  10 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  -  20,125-91,097 individuals  -  A4iii   
A4iv Species group - soaring birds/cranes passage  -  5,000-22,000 individuals  -  A4iv, B1iv   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Göksu Deltasi Specially Protected Area 23,600 protected area contains site 21,610  
Göksu Deltasi Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 15,000 protected area contained by site 15,000  
Goksu Delta SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863) 14,480 protected area contained by site 14,480  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland) Rivers and streams; Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  50%
Coastline Lagoons; Salt marshes; Sand dunes & beaches  -

Land use

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

Management considerations Planned dam and reservoir construction on the Göksu river will stop sediment inputs to the delta. Large areas of dune and marsh have been illegally converted to agriculture. A new drainage and irrigation project will lead to further intensification, increased nutrient and agrochemical inputs, and changes in the hydrological regime. Industrial discharges may adversely affect fisheries; illegal trawling is common. From 1990 to 1998 DHKD and others ran a project aimed at developing an integrated management plan.

Protection status National High International High4,350 ha of IBA covered by Permanent Wildlife Reserve (Göksu Deltasý, 4,350 ha). 14,480 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Göksu Deltasý, 14,480 ha). 8,650 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Göksu Deltasý, 8,650 ha). 14,480 ha of IBA covered by Mediterranean Specially Protected Area (Göksu Deltasý, 23,600 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Göksu Delta. 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