Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
The area comprises a permanent freshwater lake (groundwater-fed), large expanses of marsh and rush pasture, two salt-lakes (Akgöl and Bezirci) and a number of small satellite wetlands east of the main lake.
Juncus covers most of the dry, salty soils, especially in the south.
Typha and
Cladium are common to the north with
Phragmites being the dominant species around the main lake.
This is an important area for breeding raptors and several wetland species. Significant numbers of wildfowl occur in winter. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria:
Circus macrourus (only known Turkish breeding locality).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Work has begun on a DSÝ project to turn Eþmekaya lake into a reservoir for irrigation purposes; the lake's ecological character will be radically altered as a result.
National High
International None4,500 ha of IBA covered by Permanent Wildlife Reserve (Eþmekaya Sazlýðý, 4,500 ha). 11,250 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Eþmekaya Sazlýðý, 11,250 ha).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Eşmekaya Marshes (Türkiye). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/eşmekaya-marshes-iba-türkiye on 25/12/2024.
