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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
Mute Swan Cygnus olor	LC	winter (1993–1999)	1,244–8,900 individuals	A4i, B1i
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus	LC	winter (1996–1998)	214–1,200 individuals	A4i, B1i, B3
Common Pochard Aythya ferina	VU	winter (1996)	15,528 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Teal Anas crecca	LC	winter (1999)	12,400 individuals	B1i
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra	LC	winter (1999)	31,300 individuals	B1i
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	40 breeding pairs	B1i, B2
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia	LC	passage (2000)	231 individuals	A4i, B1i
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	100 breeding pairs	B2
Common Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	50 breeding pairs	B2
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	200 breeding pairs	B2
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	300 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	100 breeding pairs	B2
Little Egret Egretta garzetta	LC	breeding (1993–1994)	400 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus	NT	winter (1993–1998)	51–610 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus	LC	winter (1994–1998)	128–20,000 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo	LC	winter (1999)	9,300 individuals	A4i, B1i
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus	LC	breeding (1994)	300 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola	LC	breeding (1989–1994)	200 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding (1989–1996)	200 breeding pairs	B2
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida	LC	breeding (1989–1993)	500 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B2
Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga	VU	winter (-)	6 individuals	A1
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter (-)	48,440–73,212 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 Coastal/Supratidal	good (>90%)	moderate (70–90%)	near favourable

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happen­ing now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	rapid deteri­oration (>30% over 3 gener­ations)	high

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)	No manage­ment planning has taken place	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1992	Merýc Deltasý	SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863) (-)	46
2010	Gala Lake	National Park (II)	100
2020	Meriç Deltası	Wetland of National Importance (-)	100

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Artificial/Terrestrial	50	Arable land
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	major (>10)
Marine Neritic	major (>10)

Land use	% of IBA
agriculture	25
military	25
fisheries/aquaculture	20
water management	20
hunting	5

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Meriç Delta (Türkiye). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/meriç-delta-iba-türkiye on 13/01/2025.