KIZILIRMAK DELTA AND BIRDS’ PARADISE

KIZILIRMAK DELTA AND BIRDS’ PARADISE

Kızılırmak Delta is the biggest wetland area at the Black Sea coast of Turkey, which has protected its natural characteristic to some point. It’s also one of the biggest deltas of Turkey which is composed of alluvions carried by the Kızılırmak river. The region, called as Kızılırmak Delta, is located within Samsun in the administrative sense, also in Bafra -where Kızılırmak flows into the sea- in the geographical sense and on the northern side of Samsun-Sinop road which lies in between 19 Mayıs and Alacam towns. Delta rises in steps from sea upto the south. At the back side of the delta, there exist 600-800 meter high platos which lie through Kızılırmak and which compose the first line of Kuzey Anadolu Mountains. At the further back, there are mountains that are 1.000-1.500 meters high. Delta had geologically been formed in a very short time like one-two thousand years.

The overall area of Kızılırmak Delta is about 56.000 hectares. There are wetland areas running paralel along the coastline at both sides of the delta. Delta is composed of two fields. In the first one, which is around 13400 hectares and is found in the eastern part, there are 6 lakes (Liman Balık, Uzun, Cernek, Gıcı and Tatlı) and in the second one which is around 2710 hectares and found in the western side, there areKarabogaz Lake and Mulk Lake. In the delta, there exist many different habitats with different echologic characters such as halophytes, rivers, reed fields, wet grass, pasturages, forests with broadleaf tress, coastal dunes, dune grasses, agricultural fields and settlement fields. The delta is also a rich source of nutritional products and offers a moderate weather condition which all together create a unique biological diversity. Kızılırmak Delta is also one of the most productive natural sides of Turkey where micro and macro fauna reache a very high production level. 

It has been determined that in Kızılırmak Delta, there are approximately 316 plantal taxons which are composed of 228 sub-taxons connected with 74 families. Most of these taxons are widely distributed and include elements from European-Siberian floristic region. In this area, only about 50% of the families known in Turkey do exist. However, the distribution of species are not balanced even though the number of families are high. 

In the lakes, Potamogeton species; at the lake coasts Phragmites and Typha species lay whereas the quags are covered with reeds, sedgies and bullrushes (Scirpus lacustris). One can also observe floras which look like maquis and are composed of heathes and small woodlands. The Geleriç Forest, situated on the east of Uzungöl, is all covered with white alders (alnus) and ash trees and is one of the unique mountains of our country thanks to this characteristic. In the delta, Cyperaceae and Juncaceae families, which are mostly grown in wet areas, show a great diversity with 24 taxons. All these findings show how rich the delta is in terms of bio-diversity and bio-reserves. 

As a result of the ongoing studies, there have been 323 bird species determined in Kızılırmak Delta. This number refers to 70% of all birds in Turkey and is the highest number of bird species determined in one specific field after Goksu Delta (332 species). When we compare the number of bird species breeding in Kızılırmak Delta with the others, we see that the number in Sultan Reed-Bed is almost 136 (1985) and almost same as in Kızılırmak Delta. In a bird species research made in 1989 in Goksu Delta, it has been observed that there are 59 species definitely breeding and 17 suspiciously breeding in the area. On the other hand, Kızılırmak Delta has the status of Ramsar and OKA and within its territory, there are 121 bird species definitely breeding and 19 possibly breeding. The existence and the number of typical wet fields in the area show the importance of the Delta. Among the birds breeding in Kızılırmak Delta, the following ones are breeding in the field: Pelecanus, crisbus, Botaurus stellaris (200-250), Egratta alba (11 – 15), Egratta garzetta (230), Ardea purpurea (475-500), Ciconia nigra (30-35), Ciconia ciconia (125-130), Platalea leucorodia (76) and Grus grus (40 – 50); whereas the following ones are breeding in the reed-bed: Circus aeruginosus (250-275), Rallus aquaticus (500 -700), Fulica atra (500 – 1.000), Locustella luscinoides (500 – 700), Acrocephalus melenopogon (1.000 – 1500), Acrocephalus scirpaceus (500 – 750), Acrocephalus arundinaceus (275 – 325) and Emberiza schoenicus (800 – 1200). Also Oxyura leucocephala, a unique bird species, is observed in the field in the breeding season but is not yet seen while breeding. Geleriç Forest is also a ideal place to breed for the members of Passeriformes team (approximately 35 species).              

Delta also has an international value as a place where water birds overwinter. According to the data of Mid-Winter Water Bird Counting realized in 1999, 2002 and 2005, there had been respectively 99 396, 23 745 and 182 456 waterbirds in the field. In the 2005 counting, the highest number of birds counted were Fulica atra, 57 186, and Anas crecca, 30.000.  

Kızılırmak Delta is of vital importance to the bird species which directly pass through Black Sea during the migration period. This is the only place where migratory birds that directly pass through Black Sea may get prepared for flying, may rest afterwards, may get fed and protected. In Spring, in this area, these birds get prepared for a long trip in which they will pass Black Sea and get sheltered here after the migration in Autumn and with this characteristic, it’s the only wet area on the Black Sea coast to host these birds. This is why, its existence is of utmost importance to many bird species whose number increase to a serious level during migration periods. 

There are also seagull flocks ((Larus minutus, around 50.000) that rest for a couple of days in the delta at the end of March-beginning of April. Swallows (Hirundo rustica, 50.000 – 75.000) and sand swallows (Riperia riperia, 100.000) are the migratory birds that mainly pass over the delta in April and May. These birds use the delta not only for fuel delivery but also for settlement through the night 

The total number of birds passing over Kızılırmak Delta is about one-two millions.

Kızılırmak Delta Important Plant Area (OBA, its abbreviation in Turkish), located in the place where Kızılırmak flows into Black Sea, is a mosaic of wet fields, hydrophilic areas, forestries and sand dunes. OBA, the largest wet field on the Black Sea coast of Turkey, is an important area with its natural habitats and rich ornitologic character. Its flora is composed of some world-wide species such as jurinea kilae and some nation-wide known unique plantal taxons.

Preserving the Nature

A large part of Kızılırmak Delta OBA (the part between Bafra, 19 Mayıs and Alacam borders) was taken under protection in 21.04.1994 as a 1st Degree Natural Protected Area. Furthermore, Cernek Lake and its surrounding were declared to be a Wildlife Protection Area (4000 ha) in 1984. The Ministry of Public Works and Environment, in cooperation with DHKD, put into force an Environmental Plan in 1996 which states the usage principals of the fields within the delta. Furthermore, OBA was declared as a Ramsar Field in 1998 within the framework of Ramsar Convention to which Turkey is a party.