Out of the world”s estimated 10 billion migratory birds, 1 billion follow a migration path that passes through Turkey, making the nation an important ornithological route whose natural resources must be protected, Dr. Mustafa Kaya of Trakya University has said.
Every year many types of birds travel thousands of kilometers to reach regions where good sources of nutrition are found and where they can raise their offspring, Kaya explained during an interview with the Anatolia news agency. Different birds pass through Turkey on their migratory routes in the spring, summer and even winter, the expert noted, saying: "A segment of the [migratory] birds appear in our country in the spring and summer, and a segment can be found during the autumn and winter months. The birds in Central and Eastern Europe coming from the direction of the Balkans and Trakya pass over the Bosporus. They pass over the Marmara, Aegean and Central Anatolian regions [of Turkey] to the Mediterranean coasts and the eastern Mediterranean, and from there travel south to the Nile River Valley, central and southern Africa, Arabia and the Persian Gulf. Another important segment of the birds travels from the eastern Black Sea region and the Caucasus south, following the Çoruh, Karasu and Fırat valleys."
There are over 8,000 different types of birds in the world, Kaya noted, adding: "Two of every three birds out of the nearly 450 types of birds that live in our country are migratory. Our country thus comprises a bridge for birds migrating between Turkey and the European and African continents. For this reason, our country holds a special position in terms of serving as accommodation for a large number of migratory birds. It is necessary to maintain these figures and ensure that this [migratory activity] is able to continue."
During migration birds rely on natural "road signs," such as rivers and mountains, and use varying calls to ensure that all the members of their migratory group are in one place, the professor added.
Resource: Today”s Zaman
