Blog post by Steffen Oppel, Senior Conservation Scientist, RSPB Centre for Conservation Science.
In September 2018, a team led by BSPB, Doga Dernegi and the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science counted migrating raptors passing over the small village of Sarimazi in southern Turkey - and recorded >800 Egyptian Vultures and >100,000 raptors of 26 other species.
White Storks on migration over Sarimazi, Turkey
The location, at the northern margin of the Gulf of Iskenderun, was discovered during an expedition in 2013, and confirmed by recent research based on satellite-tracked Egyptian vultures.
Rolling hills with almond and olive groves around Sarimazi in Turkey
Why are we counting raptors in Turkey?
With a large cross-continental project to save Egyptian vultures ongoing in the Balkans and along the flyway through the Middle East, annual monitoring is important in assessing whether the conservation work is having a beneficial effect on the population.
While the breeding pairs in Bulgaria, Greece, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are closely monitored, very little information exists about the larger population in Turkey. Counting the Egyptian vultures that leave Turkey provides a convenient alternative to monitoring a widely dispersed breeding population.
Egyptian vulture. Image by Paul Donald
What did we count?
Besides Egyptian vultures, the field crew witnessed a staggering display of mass migration, counting >35,000 lesser spotted eagles, >25,000 honey buzzards, >20,000 Levant sparrowhawks, and >10,000 short-toed eagles at three observation points.
Countless white and black storks, white pelicans, and numerous songbird species completed the fantastic experience of one of the most amazing wildlife spectacles to watch.
Project manager Stoyan Nikolov (BSPB, left) and RSPB scientist Steffen Oppel enjoying a day of fieldwork together.
This raptor count will be repeated in September every year for the next five years, and interested volunteers are welcome to participate. The work is logistically and financially supported by the LIFE+ project “Egyptian Vulture New LIFE”.
Steffen Oppel trying to find Egyptian vultures in a large flock of migrating birds.
More from Steffen
Check out a quick interview with Steffen on his work at the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, and what the most interesting thing they've found out about Egyptian vultures is...