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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2004 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea	LC	non-breeding (1992)	200 individuals	B1i
Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope	LC	winter (1992)	5,623 individuals	B1i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	winter (-)	6,290–14,899 individuals	A4i, B1i
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter (-)	21,000–32,535 individuals	B1i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	breeding (1989–1996)	42 breeding pairs	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter (-)	137–434 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter (1988–1989)	130–350 individuals	A1
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	winter (1993–1996)	1,000–3,005 individuals	B1i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	winter (-)	106–1,000 individuals	B1i
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	150 breeding pairs	B1i, B2
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus	LC	winter (2002)	530 individuals	B1i
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	85 breeding pairs	B1i, B2
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	6 breeding pairs	B2
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	passage (-)	97 individuals	B1i
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (-)	29,982–72,697 individuals	A4iii

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2004. The most recent assessment (2016) is shown below.

State (condition of the key species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Intertidal	good (>90%)	good (>90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Energy production and mining	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Most of site (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A compre­hensive and appropriate manage­ment plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the popul­ations of qualify­ing bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	medium

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Menderes delta	Other Area (-)	100
-	Buyukmenderes Deltasi UOSA	Wetland of National Importance (-)	-
1993	Menderes Delta NP	National Park (-)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	20	Arable land
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Intertidal	major (>10)

Land use	% of IBA
not utilised	35
fisheries/aquaculture	30
agriculture	20
hunting	15

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Büyük Menderes Delta (Türkiye). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/büyük-menderes-delta-iba-türkiye on 24/01/2025.