Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
An extensive agricultural and upland area south of Kütahya, bordered to the south by the Kokar stream. Low-lying agricultural areas are in the main non-irrigated; nearly half of such areas lie fallow in each rotation. Where groundwater reaches the surface small marshy areas have developed (some have been drained in recent years). The northern parts of the IBA comprise low mountains that support extensive areas of
Juniperus forest and scrub.
The availability of fallow land, absence of agricultural intensification schemes and relatively low human disturbance have made this one of the last
Otis tarda strongholds in western Turkey˜that the birds appear to be resident and breeding has been confirmed every year since 1993.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
A DSÝ irrigation project requires the damming of the Kokar and Murat streams and will lead to the irrigation of 17,763 ha, including the entire lower part of the IBA. Agricultural intensification and increasing human disturbance will result, undoubtedly affecting
Otis tarda. Local hunters successfully campaigned for the area to be protected and now warden the site. Poaching has been virtually eliminated, and educating local farmers has proved successful. Restoration of marsh areas is being discussed.
National High
International None19,200 ha of IBA covered by Permanent Wildlife Reserve (Altýntaþ Ovasý, 19,200 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Altıntaş Plateau (Türkiye). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/altıntaş-plateau-iba-türkiye on 23/11/2024.
