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This page lists and gives information about the mostly visited and most important bird watching sites around Ankara which can be reached at most in 3 hours with a car. These sides are highly recommended if you stay in Ankara and want to make a daily trip for bird.
The list is prepared by METU Birdwatching Society. Balikdami Marshes | Size: | 1470 ha. | | Coordinates: | 39 12 N 31 39 E | | Altitude: | 799 m. | | Location: | Balýkdamý is situated ca. 30 km south of Sivrihisar, Eskiþehir. Take the road to the ancient town Pessinus at the crossroads just at the enterance of Sivrihisar which is indicated by the yellow sign. The road goes through Ballihisar, Ertuðrulkoy and finally to Ahiler or Balýkdamý. | | Site description: | A large wetlands on the Sakarya River that has atrificially been made by flood control schemes. The marshland can be divided into two halves as: The Western part which is made of marshes and grassland between Ahiler and Kurtþehy. On the eastern half there are reedbeds, open water, mudflats and flooded trees around the town Balýkdamý. The habitat around the lake is extensive cereal fields. The site can be easily visited by a daily trip from Ankara. | | Strategy: | Take the road to Ahiler coming from Sivrihisar. Take a look to the mudflats and open water on the east of the road. Then you can have a walk eastwards from Ahiler along the southern border of the wetland to the small dam on the river next to the white building. | | Birds: | In summer residents that probably or regularly breed in the area are Pygmy Cormorant, Little Bittern, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Garganey, Ferruginous Duck, Montagu's Harrier (15 pairs), Lesser Kestrel (10 pairs in Ahiler), Black-winged Stilt, Stone Curlew, Lapwing and White-winged Black Tern.
In spring migrating White Stork (max. 17915) and Garganey are very common. Good number of raptors may be observed flying high over the wetland. Other migrants include White Pelican, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Black Stork and Ruff.
In winter dabbling ducks are the dominating species. Ruddy Shelduck, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard and Lapwings are in good numbers. | | Other wildlife: | Suslik is very common around the lake. |
Lake Uyuz | Size: | 15 ha. | | Coordinates: | 39 15 N 32 57 E | | Altitude: | 1185 m. | | Location: | This small lake is located ca. 75 km south of Ankara. It can be reached by taking the road to the west to Kömüþini form the E5 road. It lies 2 km further west from the town Kömüþini. | | Site description: | A small, shallow freshwater lake fringed with reedbeds. It is fed by undergound water. In the surrounding there are wheat fields. The area is declares as SIT area in 1992. | | Strategy: | In the weekends the lake is invaded by picknickers so avoid a visit in the weekend. | | Birds: | Breeding birds are Great-crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Little Grebe, Mallard, Garganey, Pochard, White-headed Duck (10 pairs), Marsh Harrier, Coot and Black-winged Stilt. Ferruginous Duck and Little Crake may also breed. |
Lake Col (Lake Canak) | Size: | 1500 ha.. | | Coordinates: | 39 18 N 32 54 E | | Altitude: | 1045 m.. | | Location: | Lake Çöl is located ca. 75 km south of Ankara on the west Side of the E5 road. The lake is surrounded by the towns (from north to south) Gülbaðý, Gölbek, Çeltek, Gökler and Altýnçanak. | | Site description: | A shallow saline lake fed by small streams. It is surrounded by seasonal mudflats and marshes and dries up comletely during summer. Dryer areas around the lake is used as wheat, barley, lentil and chichpea fields. | | Strategy: | Take the road around the lake and try to approach the lake from Çeltek. | | Birds: | Greater Sand Plover breeds at the lake. Other breeding birds include Mallard, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Kentish Plover and Lapwing. White-headed Duck, gulls and terns which probably breed at Lake Kulu visit the lake to feed.
Before 1989, the lake supported large number of waterfowl like White-fronted Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Teal, Flamingo and Black-winged Stilt. Due to the lack of water in recent years those birds diminished. |
Lake Kulu | Size: | 860 ha. | | Coordinates: | 39 05 N 33 09 E | | Altitude: | 950 m. | | Location: | Lake Kulu is located east of the town Kulu 110 km south of Ankara. It lies north west of the Lake Tuz. | | Site description: | It is a shallow slightly brackish lake fed by the Kulu stream from the west. The fringes of the lake are barren except the reeds where small stremas and springs enter the lake. In the middle of the lake there are small islands with bird colonies. At the southern edge of the lake there is a small freshwater pool with reeds along the edge. There is a sandy track leading arounf the lake which is inaccesible in wet winters and in dry summer. The lake is surrounded by treeless steppe with dry cereal fields. | | Strategy: | The lake can be visited all around the year. Best time is spring when lots of migrants may be observed. | | Birds: | Breeding birds include Black-necked Grebe (220 pairs), Greylag, Shelduck, White-headed Duck, Oystercatcher (5 pairs), Avocet (150 pairs), Black-winged Stilt(60 pairs), Collared Pratincole (10 pairs), Greater Sand Plover, Kentish Plover, Mediterranean Gull (180 pairs), Black-headed Gull (270 pairs), Slender-billed Gull (330 pairs) and Gull-billed Tern (470 pairs). Greater Flamingo, which probably originate from Lake Tuz, are regularly observed from April to September. In the surrounding fields Calandra Lark, Skylark, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Tawny Pipit and Corn Bunting can be observed. In a lucky day Great Bustard and Black-bellied Sandgrouse can be seen.
On migration Garganey, Red-footed Falcons, Ruff and most other waders can be observed including Marsh Sandpiper which is quite common in the beginning of April.
In winter many ducks and White-fronted Geese gather at the lake. | | Other wildlife: | Suslik is very common around the lake. |
Lake Mogan (Lake Golbasi) | Size: | 759 ha. | | Coordinates: | 39 46 N 32 48 E | | Altitude: | 973 m. | | Location: | It is located 20 km south of Ankara. The Konya road goes along the eastern shores whereas Haymana road coveres its western shores. | | Site description: | It is a shallow eutrophic freshwater lake fringed with reedbeds of variable width. It is fed by the small stream south of the lake coming from the Haymana Plateou and flows into the lake Eymir through a regulator. North of the lake the town Gölbaþý located. Around the town there are lots of holiday homes. Along the shores of the northern half of the lake there are farm houses, restaurants and houses. South of the lake there is ca. 750 ha. large extensive marshland and wet meadows including Gölcük and Çökek marshes. In the surroundings specially south of the lake there is limited agricultural activity. The lake is extensively used by fishermen, sailors and picknickers. | | Strategy: | Do not visit the lake in the weekends when the shores of the lake is intensively used by picknickers. There are various points on the eastern and western shores of the lake. Visit the seasonal wetland west of the lake near the white transformator building on the side of Haymana road. Take the road from Yavrucak Village on Haymana road to Konya road. This road can produce good number of migrants in spring. | | Birds: | The breeding birds include Little Grebe, Great-crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe (5 pairs), Black-necked Grebe (10 pairs), Little Bittern (10 pairs), Night Heron, Squacco Heron (30 pairs), Purple Heron (5 pairs), Mallard (20 pairs), Gadwall (5 pairs), Red-crested Pochard (50 pairs), Pochard, Ferruginous Duck (10 pairs), White-headed Duck (2 pairs), Coot, Marsh Harrier (5 pairs), Black-winged Stilt (20 pairs), Lapwing and Bearded Tit.
In spring common passage birds are Red-footed Falcon, Little Crake, Ruff, Swallow, Sand Martin, Yellow Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit. The surrounding fields inhabit 5 species of larks like Calandra, Bimaculated, Short-toed, Lesser Short-toed Larks and Skylark.
In winter it supports large number of waterfowl including Coot (60.000), Pochard (10.000), Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Ruddy Shelduck, Black-headed Gull (tens of thousands coming from their feeding; rubbish damps) and Starling (over 1.000.000). Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier and Merlin are common wintering raptors.
The less common species observed at the lake are the three species of swans, Pallid Harrier, Imperial Eagle, Crane, Demossile Crane, Spur-winged Plover. | | Other wildlife: | Foxes are regularly encountered. The lake is rich in fish like carp and pike. |
Kýzýlcahamam Soðuksu National Park | Size: | 9500 ha. | | Coordinates: | 40 28 N 32 33 E | | Altitude: | 900 - 1849 m. | | Location: | The National Park is located adjacent to the E5 (the old Istanbul - Ankara highway), west of Kýzýlcahamam which is 75 km north of Ankara. The gate of the park is at the end of the main road through the town. | | Site description: | The park is a basin surrounded by high mountains (peak with ca. 1800 m.) with steep slopes. The lower altitudes are covered by oak scrubs while the upper slopes are covered by forest, dominated by Black Pine and Yellow Pine on higher altitudes.
The park includes a circular route (marked as çevre yolu). The start of the route is before the end of the metalled road to the right just before a fountain. The route leads to the top where the route follows the ridge of a high hill surrounded by to deep valleys on both sides. Here the road that goes strait on brings you back to the gate, whereas the road to the right leads to more virgin parts of the park and at last through a remote mountain village (Elören) and down to Kýrmýr stream. | | Strategy: | Best time to visit is between mid-April and October. The spring migration and early summer can be prefered for breeding birds, but autumn is the best period for raptors. In winter good flocks of Vultures and Eagles may be encountered around some dead animals. Avoid weekends on bright good weathers as the park is used by thousands of picknickers from Ankara. The circular route is 20 km long and can be easily walked in a day. It is a good idea to get to the top and spend some time for the seach for raptors. | | Birds: | The park and its surroundings are especially important for raptors including breeding Black Kite, Black Vulture (6-8 pairs), Bearded Vulture (2 pairs), Egyptian Vulture (15 pairs), Short-toed Eagle, Sparrowhawk, Goshawk, Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Booted Eagle (3 pairs), Kestrel, Hobby, Peregrine and probably Lanner. Griffon Vulture, Imperial Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle has also been observed.
Other breeding birds include Black Stork (5 pairs), White Stork (min. 20 pairs), Ruddy Shelduck, Woodpigeon, Hoopoe, Crag Martin, Redstart of race sammamicus, Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Sombre Tit, Kruepers Nuthatch, Raven, Chaffinch, Serin, Crossbill and Rock Bunting. On migration flycatchers especially Collared Flycatcher, warblers and thrushes may be observed.
Several rare or important species like White-tailed Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Tengmalm's Owl, Black Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Olive-tree Warbler, Treecreeper have been observed in the area. | | Other wildlife: | Hare, Wild Boar, Lynx, Fox, Wolf and Brown Bear are found in the National Park. |
Mount Kavaklý | Size: | 8100 ha. | | Coordinates: | 40 21 N 32 08 E | | Altitude: | 1000- 1983 m. | | Location: | It can be reached from Karaþar which is located 30 km from Beypazarý. From Karaþar you take the road to Dereli. Dereli may also be reached from Güdül. Tracks in the forest also leads to Peçenek, which is near the TEM motorway. | | Site description: | It is a forested mountain constituing the southern extremity of the Köroðlu Mountains. The lower parts consist of barren hills with oak scrub whilst the upper slopes are covered with coniferous forest. | | Strategy: | The track going to the north from Dereli along the river can be hiked to get into the forest. The site is poorly known and more research needs to be done. | | Birds: | The important species on this mountain are Black Vulture (1-5 pairs), Golden Eagle and Imperial Eagle. |
Ýnözü Vadisi | Size: | 50 ha. | | Coordinates: | 40 11 N 31 55 E | | Altitude: | 675- 750 m. | | Location: | It is located 1 km north of Beypazarý on the road to Kýbrýsçýk. | | Site description: | A narrow gorge with a range of rocky cliffs of ca. 100 m. heigth and 1 km. length. On the bottom there is a stream surrounded by orchards | | Strategy: | Go there in the breeding season to check breeding birds. | | Birds: | Breeding birds include Black Stork (5 pairs), Ruddy Shelduck, Egyptian Vulture (5 pairs), Peregrine (1 pair) and Lanner (1 pair). | | Note: | Also visit the rubbish dam northwest from the town that can be reached by continuing the road to Çayýrhan, turning right after 1 km. to the slauterhouse. A visit to this place in a September morning can produce Black Kite, hunderts of Egyptian Vultures, Black Vulture, Bearded Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Imperial Eagle, Ravens and Crows. |
Sarýyar Damlake (including Nallýhan Bird Paradise) | Size: | 8400 ha. | | Coordinates: | 40 02 N 31 38 E | | Altitude: | 475 m. | | Location: | It is a large damlake located south of the Beypazarý Nallýhan road and by the most eastern end of Sündiken Mountains. | | Site description: | The site is an old damlake situated on the Sakarya River. The northern part of the lake consists of barren hills with a high erosion rate whereas the southern part is forested. Along the southern edge of the damlake there is a poplar plantation where a large colony of Night Herons is located.
Nallýhan Bird Paradise is located north of the damlake 5 km. west from Çayýrhan. There a small stream forms a fooded wetland just north of the main road, flows under the bridge on the main road and through a deep gorge southwards into the damlake. There is a willow trees on this stream where a colony of Grey Herons is found. The steep rocky cliffs south of the road provide nesting sites for many birds. | | Strategy: | Get to the Nallýhan Bird Paradise from the main road, check the wetland and cliffs on both sides of the road, walk into the gorge and continiue along the shores of the damlake to Çayýrhan. | | Birds (found mainly at Nallýhan Bird Paradise): | Breeding birds include Night Heron (120 pairs), Grey heron (50 pairs), Black Stork (20 pairs), Black Kite, White-tailed Eagle (1 pair), Egyptian Vulture (10 pairs), Long-legged Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Kestrel, Peregrine (1-5 pairs), Lanner (1 pair), Crag Martin, Blue Rock Thrush, Black-eared Wheatear, Rock Nuthatch, Chough (5 pairs), Raven and Rock Sparrow.
The damlake is an important wintering and roosting site for Grey Heron (max. 1000), Great Egret (max. 80), White Stork (max. 11.300), Black Stork (max. 100), Ruddy Shelduck (max. 2400), waterfowl and gulls.
On migration Spoonbill, storks and raptors, Osprey (regular April- November), Red-rumped Swallow, Crag Martin can be observed. Black Vulture, Bearded Vulture has also been observed. | | Other wildlife: | A jungle cat has been caught in the area. The lake is rich in (introduced) fish which supports herons and fish eating raptors. |
| Size: | 14.000 ha. | | Coordinates: | 39 52 N 31 36 E | | Altitude: | 900- 1574 m. | | Location: | The mountain lies at the easternmost extremity of the 130 km long Sündiken mountain range which lie on a east-west axis between the Sakarya and Porsuk plains. It can be reached from Mihaliççik by driving eastwards around the mountain through the villages Ömerköy, Sazak, Hamidiye and Kavakköy. | | Site description: | The mountain is extensively forested with Black Pine, intermixed with oak and juniper scrub with a few scattered villages and areas of open grassland. The steeper northern slopes face the Sarýyar Reservoir, whereas the more gently sloping south-facing valleys meet the semi-arid and intensively cultivated Central Anatolian plateau. | | Strategy: | Visit the area in spring to watch breeding raptors. | | Birds: | Black Vulture (5 pairs), Bearded Vulture, Goshawk, Buzzard, Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, Booted Eagle (1 pairs), Woodlark and Rock Bunting are breeding birds. |
Lake Hirfanlý (Hirfanlý Reservoir) | Size: | 26.300 ha. | | Coordinates: | 39 10 N 33 39 E | | Altitude: | 851 m. | | Location: | The lake is the biggest damlake in the Central Anatolia. It is located on the river Kýzýlýrmak and lies 40 km. west from Kýrþehir. The northern shores can be reached from Aksaray Ankara E90 road by taking the road to Kaman and Keskin 30 km. north of Þereflikoçhisar. The eastern shores can be watched from the Kýrþehir Savcýlý road. | | Site description: | The lake is originally a damlake on the River Kýzýlýrmak with a maximum depth of 70 m. There are some small islands in the northern parts and seasonal mudflats in the east near Ecikaðil. The reservoir is surrounded by cereal fields. | | Strategy: | In winter try to count the lake from the dam and Tokluman. A very cold winter can produce over 100.000 of birds. In summer visit the shores near the islands. | | Birds: | Due to the lack of trees around the lake the islands are the main breeding sites for birds like White Stork, Mallard, Kestrel, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Redshank, probably Armenian Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Common Tern, Little Tern and Little Owl. In winter there are over 100.000 waterfowl including Red-crested Pochard (max. 5.500), Pochard (14.000), Tufted Duck (15.000) and Coot (70.000). In spring and autumn Ruddy Shelduck and Osprey occurs. | | Other wildlife: | The lake is rich in fish. |
Beynam Forest | Size: | 2100 ha. | | Coordinates: | 39 41 N 32 56 E | | Altitude: | 1200- 1521 m. | | Location: | It is a small isolated forest 30 km. south of Ankara. The forest lies south of Beynam and north of Karaali east of the Ankara Aksaray road. | | Site description: | It is the one of the last remnants of the Central Anatolian forest consisting of oak and Black Pine. A small section of the forest is used as a picknick site. | | Strategy: | The site still needs data on the birds. Visit the area in the spring when the birds are singing. Walk along the edge of the forest near the oak scrub. | | Birds: | The most important breeding bird is Imperial Eagle (2 pairs). Other summer birds include Short-toed Eagle, Mistle Thrush and Ortolan. |
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