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TR001
Meriç Delta
Location Turkey, Edirne
Central coordinates 26o 11.00' East  40o 45.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3
Area 15,280 ha
Altitude
Year of IBA assessment 2004

Doga Dernegi (Partner Designate)



Ornithological information An important site for both breeding and wintering waterbirds. Large numbers of Pelecanus onocrotalus roost on the lakes during migration.

Site description The delta is situated on the Turkish-Greek border where the Meriç river flows into the Aegean Sea (adjacent to Greek site 006). The IBA comprises a complex of freshwater lakes, extensive reedbeds (Phragmites), lagoons and 3,400 ha of former flood-plain that has largely been converted to farmland. The lakes and marshes are surrounded by irrigated rice-fields. Sheep- and cattle-grazing is widespread.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Mute Swan Cygnus olor winter  1999  8,900 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus winter  1998  1,200 individuals  -  A4i, B1i, B3  Least Concern 
Common Teal Anas crecca winter  1999  12,400 individuals  medium  B1i  Least Concern 
Common Pochard Aythya ferina winter  1996  15,528 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus breeding  -  100 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia breeding  -  40 breeding pairs  -  B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia passage  2000  231 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus breeding  -  50 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  -  200 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  1997  300 breeding pairs  poor  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea breeding  1997  100 breeding pairs  poor  B2  Least Concern 
Little Egret Egretta garzetta breeding  1994  377-470 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus winter  1998  610 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Vulnerable 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  1998  20,000 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo winter  1999  9,300 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga winter  -  6 individuals  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Common Coot Fulica atra winter  1999  31,300 individuals  medium  B1i  Least Concern 
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus breeding  1994  350 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola breeding  1994  200 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Little Tern Sterna albifrons breeding  -  200 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida breeding  1993  500 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
A4iii Species group - waterbirds winter  -  48,440-73,212 individuals  -  A4iii   

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Merýc Deltasý SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863) 7,000 protected area contained by site 7,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland) Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  -
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) Arable land  50%
Coastline Lagoons; Tidal rivers & enclosed tidal waters  -

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture 20%
agriculture 25%
hunting 5%
military 25%
water management 20%

Management considerations A large-scale DSÝ irrigation and flood-control initiative (the Lower Ýpsala Project) includes provisions to prevent pollution and further loss of wetland habitats in the area. The Meriç river is heavily polluted by industrial waste, untreated sewage and agricultural run-off. Lake water is used for irrigation during periods of drought, leading to drops in water-levels, seawater incursion and mass fish-kills. In recent years the fishing industry in the lakes and lagoons has collapsed, with pollution, over-fishing, changes in water regime, and silting-up of the river mouth quoted as the main causal factors.

Protection status National High International None2,369 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Meriç/Evros deltasý, 2,369 ha). 7,000 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Meriç Deltasý, 7,000 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Meriç 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