Birds

Birds, like mammalian species, have important ecological roles for ecosystem health, such as seed dispersal, controlling insect populations, maintaining nutrient cycling, removing dead animals and pollination.

There are three important phases in the life cycles of most bird species: breeding, wintering and migration. During these periods, the breeding time is the period when birds are most sensitive and selective in choosing an area.  For this reason, the reproduction of a species in an area is very important from the point of view of conservation studies. Of the 485 bird species recorded in Türkiye, 313 regularly breed in Türkiye. The presence of natural areas and wetlands away from human influence creates suitable breeding environments for many bird species. In Türkiye, 247 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been identified. IBAs are used to identify rare, sensitive areas that are important for endangered bird species. Thirty-one bird species, which are nationally or regionally endangered, breed in Türkiye.