Ongoing Research Projects

Eastern Anatolia Bird Migration Research Aras Bird Ringing Station Bird Ringing Project​

Project Coordinator: Lecturer Ayşegül ÇOBAN​

Project Area: The Station, located at the coordinates 40°07' North and 43°35' East, is situated at an elevation of 1059 meters on the northern bank of the Aras River, 300 meters from the village of Yukarı Çıyrıklı in the Tuzluca district of Iğdır. The station is established in a wetland area, separated from the Aras River by a dyke, and features small ponds, willow, and poplar trees. The non-muddy part of the ground consists of calcareous soil. The valley in which the station is located is mostly barren and lacks vegetation, making the station a crucial stopover, feeding, resting, breeding, and wintering site for migratory and resident birds. The Aras Bird Research and Education Center is situated along the Caucasus-Eurasian Bird Migration Route and is the first bird migration research station in Eastern Anatolia. Since the commencement of ringing activities in 2006, over 130,000 birds of 200 species have been ringed, and more than 1,000 individuals have been educated about environmental conservation and birds, raising awareness among participants. Following these educational efforts, the local population has come to understand the value of the area and has provided support and assistance in its conservation. Regular ringing activities have been conducted during both the spring and autumn migration periods since the fall migration of 2006 at the Iğdır Aras Bird Ringing Station. During the spring, summer, and autumn periods of 2022, ringing activities were carried out under the coordination of Iğdır University’s Ornithology Application and Research Center. In 2022, the 16th year of continuous operation, the spring ringing season ran uninterrupted from February 27 to November 15, a span of nine months, resulting in the ringing of a total of 11,494 birds. In addition to ringing, satellite transmitters were placed on 25 birds from different species. The ringing activities were conducted with the participation, cooperation, and support of Iğdır University Ornithology Application and Research Center, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s XIII Regional Directorate, Iğdır Branch, the KuzeyDoğa Association, and Koç and Utah Universities.​

Griffon Vulture Conservation Project

Project Coordinator: Lecturer Ayşegül ÇOBAN

Project Area: Within the borders of Eskişehir Province

General Information: The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a bird species that is globally endangered. As scavengers of the ecosystem, these birds play a vital role, making the monitoring of their movements in the wild crucial for their conservation. To this end, three individuals were fitted with satellite transmitters in Eskişehir between April 10 and May 3, 2022, and their movements have been monitored since then. The Egyptian Vulture Conservation Project is carried out with the participation, cooperation, and support of Iğdır University Ornithology Application and Research Center, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s V. Regional Directorate, Iğdır Branch, the KuzeyDoğa Association, Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality, and Koç and Utah Universities.