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TR010
Kuş Lake / Manyas Lake
Location Turkey, Balikesir
Central coordinates 27o 57.00' East  40o 11.00' North
IBA criteria A1, A4i, B1i, B2, B3
Area 21,800 ha
Altitude 18 m
Year of IBA assessment 2004

Doga Dernegi (Partner Designate)



Ornithological information This is an important site for breeding and wintering waterbirds; migrating Pelecanus onocrotalus often roost at the lake.

Site description A shallow nutrient-rich freshwater lake (average depth 3 m) fed by groundwater and four streams. Small deltas have formed where the latter enter the lake, comprising extensive marshes and tree-lined riverbanks. Narrow belts of reed Phragmites fringe much of the lake. Water is abstracted for factory use and for irrigation. Cattle- and sheep-grazing is common along the lake shores.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala winter  1996  20-34 individuals  -  A1  Endangered 
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia breeding  1995  200 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax breeding  -  1,500 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i, B2  Least Concern 
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides breeding  -  100 breeding pairs  -  B2  Least Concern 
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus passage  -  1,500-5,000 individuals  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus winter  1996  52-117 individuals  -  A1, A4i, B1i  Vulnerable 
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus breeding  -  35-40 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4i, B1i, B2  Vulnerable 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus breeding  -  150 breeding pairs  -  A1, B1i, B3  Least Concern 
Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus winter  -  58-315 individuals  -  A1  Least Concern 
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo breeding  -  2,650-3,000 breeding pairs  -  A4i, B1i  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Kuscenneti National Park 64 protected area contained by site 17,058  
Kusgolu SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863) 100 protected area contained by site 100  
Lake Kus (Manyas) Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) 20,400 protected area overlaps with site 16,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest Alluvial and very wet forest  5%
Wetlands (inland) Standing freshwater; Water fringe vegetation  95%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture 10%
fisheries/aquaculture 10%
water management 80%
urban/industrial/transport 80%

Management considerations Artificially high water-levels have resulted in the loss of feeding marshes. Nesting trees in the National Park have also begun to die as a result of prolonged inundation. Agricultural, industrial and household pollution enters the lake in large quantities. Due to over-fishing, disease, pollution and possibly the effects of the changing water regime, fish catches have declined drastically. Fish migration into the lake is now impossible following the construction of a regulator.

Protection status National High International High64 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Ku° Gölü, 64 ha). 16,000 ha of IBA covered by Permanent Wildlife Reserve (Ku° Gölü, 23,667 ha). 100 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Kuþ Gölü, 100 ha). 16,000 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Ku° Gölü, 16,000 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kuş Lake / Manyas Lake. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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