Two flamingos choose to stay back in Demre’s bird sanctuary
ANTALYA
Two of the six flamingos that came last year to the Santa Claus Bird Sanctuary in the southern province of Antalya’s Demre district to spend the winter have chosen to stay back instead of migrating.
Akdeniz University Faculty of Science and Ornithologist Professor Ali Erdoğan said: “It is necessary to watch them. Even their spending the summer in this area is important for the future of this wetland and the diversity of birds.”
Located next to the ancient city of Andriake and the Lycian Civilizations Museum on the Çayağzı road in Demre district, the Santa Claus Bird Sanctuary has been hosting flamingos in recent years. It was the first time in 2016 that three flamingos came to the sanctuary to spend the winter season, and then again in 2018 and 2019, three flamingos came each year. But in 2020, six flamingos migrated to the region.
Flamingos coming to the area in recent years have become the new guests and bird species of the Santa Claus Bird Sanctuary. These flamingos leave from the sanctuary each year at the end of March, the start of the summer season. But this year, two out of the six flamingos stayed back in the region.
Erdoğan, who has constantly been observing the Santa Claus Bird Sanctuary and released a book about the region, said: “The six flamingos that came to the region in September last year were most likely three couples. The other two pairs likely went to other wetlands to breed or incubated on islets in the wetland. If they incubated in the region, it would be a great improvement for the Santa Claus Bird Sanctuary. But this is a weak possibility because flamingos do not reproduce much on the beach. Most probably, the remaining couple of flamingos will not reproduce.”
“The Santa Claus Bird Sanctuary is a suitable feeding ground for them. Since this couple will not reproduce, they can spend the summer in this area. It is necessary to watch them. Even their spending the summer in this area is important for the future of this wetland and bird diversity.” he added.
