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The reedfield Sultan Sazlığı is located at the lowest part of the Develi plain which is to the south-west of Mt. Erciyes. It is in the triangle of Develi - Yeşilhisar and Yahyalı.
This reedfield, which 70 km from Kayseri, has been taken under protection with the International Ramsar Treaty.
The lakes Yay, Camız, Söbe and Çöl exit at the lowest section of Develi plain. In the broadest sense of the word, all these lakes - or in other words, the area to the south of the road connecting Develi to the Niğde - Kayseri highway, except for the lake Yay, is called Sultan Sazlığı. The marshy places and lakes making up Sultan Sazlığı become smaller in the dry season and larger in the rainy season. These lakes are fed by the waters coming down Mt. Erciyes and Mid-Taurus Mountains.
Sultan Sazlığı, which covers an area of 17.200 hectare, constitutes a world-famous ecosystem.
There
are hardly noticeable small reed islets floating towards the center of the
reedfield.
Both fresh and salty water ecosystems coexist in this area which was taken under protection in 1988.
Providing shelter for 301 bird species, Sultan Sazlığı is the second major bird paradise in Turkey, after the lake Manyas. An observation tower and a breeding station have been set up so that the migration route of birds and their living environments can be studied.
Being on the migration route of birds because of its flora and fauna, Sultan Sazlığı is beginning to contribute more and more to tourism with appropriate attempts and research.
Location
Sultan
Sazlığı is located within the province of Kayseri on the eastern border of
the Anatolian plateau.
It is 70 km to the south of Kayseri. The coordinates are 38º 05" / 38º 40" north and 35º 00" / 35º 35" east. It is a catchment area, surrounded by high mountains on four sides. The land, having a slope of 2%, is completely flat. To the north of it is Mt. Erciyes (3917 m), the highest volcano in the region. The reedfield is surrounded by the mountains of Develi Dağı, Akpınar and Çelikyurt in the east; by Taurus, Aladağ (3373 m) and Elmalı (2235 m) in the south; and by Kartalkaya (1958 m) and İncildağı (1795 m) in the west.
The Distribution of the Reedfield and its Characteristics
The reedfield Sultan Sazlığı covers an area of 17.200 hectares. It is roughly divided into two main ecosystems: the Yay Lake (salty) and the reedfield area (sweet). The distribution is as follows:
Kind of Area Measure Lake Area 3650 hectares Reedfield Area 5200 Grassland 8350 Total 17200
In the reedfield area there are some big and small lakes named as Eğrigöl, Sarpgöl and Camızgöl and some reed-covered islets.
History
Sultan Sazlığı was first investigated in 1968 by a research carried out by Ismail Özer. The studies were carried on by Nihat Turan and ornithologist Tansu Gürpınar and it showed up that this area is an important marsh area (fens).
Sultan Sazlığı was declared
- as Waterfowl Protection and Proliferation Region by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs in 1971 under the Law on Hunting;
- as a Protection of Nature in 1988 and
- as Natural Site of First Degree by the Committee of Protection of Cultural and Natural Existences in 1993.
Sultan Sazlığı, whose importance was understood as a watery and protection area, was taken into the list of A Degree watery area according to the second and third articles of International Ramsar Treaty (about the protection of watery areas having international importance as a living environment for water birds), which was passed by the cabinet on 15th of march 1994 with decree 5434.
Geology / Climate
The Develi plain is a Devonian, which is an old geologic formation. Coral fauna from the mid-Devonian age (410-370 million years) have been discovered to the south of Yahyalı.
Kırşehir range which is to the south of Develi is a mountain that was formed in the Precambrian age. Neogenic tuffs exist to the north-west and north-east of the Develi basin. The Nemrut mountain within the Erciyes group near the lake Acıgöl has been an active volcano until recently. The formation of the lake area began in the Miocene epoch and continued in the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs. With erosion materials various strata came into existence. These layers consist of limestone, basalt, andesite and tuff.
Typical continental climate is prevalent in Develi basin where summers are hot and dry, and winters are cold. The temperature difference between day and night and between summer and winter is high. The hottest months are July and August (34.2ºC – 35.5ºC) and the coldest are January and February (-18.3ºC) respectively.
According to 30 years' statistical figures, the annual average rainfall on an area of a square meter is 363 mm.
The bird population is higher in spring and autumn months. It is at its lowest level in February, July and August. Some immigrant birds stay here in winter.
Flora
The Aladağ Mountain and Mt. Erciyes are among the most extensively studied areas of the Middle and Near East for the flora, though the species collected are only a small part of what exists. For this reason it is believed that this studies should continue.
The species of algae are more than 50 kinds, some of which are Bacillariophyceae, Charophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Chrysophyceae, Dinophyceae, Eulenophyceae, and Rhodophyceae.
The flora species have been collected by Kasparek, Demirkuş and Sümbül and placed in Hacettepe University collection. Following is the stock of flora samples:
| Family | Gil |
|---|---|
| Alismataceae | suotugiller |
| Aristolochiaceae | |
| Ascetepiadeaceae | ipektohumugiller |
| Boraginaceae | hodangiller |
| Caryophyllaceae | karanfilgiller |
| Chenopodiaceae | ıspanakgiller |
| Compositae | bileşikgiller |
| Convolvulaceae | sarmaşıkgiller |
| Cruciferae | turpgiller |
| Cuscutaceae | küskütgiller |
| Droseraceae | etyiyengiller |
| Euphorbiaceae | sütleğengiller |
| Gentianaceae | kızılkantarongiller |
| Labiatae | ballıbabagiller |
| Lauraceae | defnegiller |
| Leguminosae | baklagiller |
| Lenthivulariaceae | bubapıgiller |
| Lythraceae | kınagiller |
| Malvaceae | ebegümecigiller |
| Moraceae | dutgiller |
| Nymphaceae | nilüfergiller |
| Onagraceae | küpeçiçeğigiller |
| Papaveraceae | gelincikgiller |
| Plumbaginaceae | dişotugiller |
| Polygonaceae | karabuğdaygiller |
| Primulaceae | çuhaçiçeğigiller |
| Ranunculeae | düğünçiçeğigiller |
| Resedaceae | sevgiçiçeğigiller |
| Rosaceae | gülgiller |
| Rubiaceae | kökboyagiller |
| Scrophulariaceae | aslanağzıgiller |
| Solanaceae | patlıcangiller |
| Tamaricaceae | ılgıngiller |
| Umbelliferae | maydanozgiller |
| Valerianaceae | kediotugiller |
| Zygophyllaceae | yabanikimyonugiller |
The fauna species collected and placed in by F. Spitzenberger (Vienna Museum of Natural History) are as follows:
| Mammals | Memeliler |
|---|---|
| porcupine | kirpi |
| miller's watershrew | bataklık sivri faresi |
| etruscan shrew | etrüsk sivri faresi |
| shrew | sivri fareler |
| bat | yarasalar |
| wolf | kurt |
| fox | tilki |
| veasel | gelincik |
| marbled polecat | alaca sansar |
| wild boar | yaban domuzu |
| brown hare | tavşan |
| lesser mole | kör fare |
| woodmouse | orman sıçanı |
| rats | sıçan |
| grey hamster | cüce dağ sıçanı |
| golden hamster | dağ sıçanı |
| desert rat | koşarfare |
| water vole | su faresi |
| common vole | adi tarla faresi |
The birds in Sultan Sazlığı reedfield:
(For bird names and their translations into other languages
have a look at the nature database)
| Birds | Kuşlar |
|---|---|
| little grebe | yumurta piçi |
| great crested grebe | tepeli dalgıç |
| red necked grebe | kırmızı boyunlu |
| black necked grebe | karagerdanlı |
| cormorant | karabatak |
| pygmy cormorant | cüce karabatak |
| white pelican | pelikan |
| dalmatian pelican | tepeli pelikan |
| bittern | balaban |
| little bittern | cüce balaban |
| night heron | gece balıkçıl |
| squacco heron | alaca balıkçıl |
| cattle egret | öküz balıkçıl |
| little egret | küçük beyaz balıkçıl |
| great white heron | beyaz balıkçıl |
| gray heron | gri balıkçıl |
| purple heron | erguvani balıkçıl |
| black stork | kara leylek |
| white stork | leylek |
| glossy ibis | çeltikçi |
| spoonbill | kaşıkçı |
| great flamingo | flamingo |
| mute swan | kuğu |
| pink-footed goose | gillik |
| white-footed goose | sakarca |
| greylag goose | boz kaz |
| ruddy shelduck | angıt |
| shelduck | suna |
| wiegon | fiyü |
| gadwall | boz ördek |
| teal | kırık |
| mallard | yeşilbaş |
| pintail | kılkuyruk |
| garganey | çıkrıkçı |
| shoveler | kaşıkgaga |
| marbled duck | yağ ördeği |
| red crested pochard | macar ördeği |
| pochard | pas baş |
| tufted duck | tepeli patka |
| smew | sütlabi |
| honey buzzard | arı şahini |
| black kite | kara çaylak |
| egyptian vulture | akbaba |
| griffon vulture | kızıl akbaba |
| short toed eagle | yılan kartalı |
| marsh harrier | saz delicesi |
| hen harrier | ekin delicesi |
| pallid harrier | step delicesi |
| montagu's harrier | çayır delicesi |
| goshawk | büyük atmaca |
| sparrowhawk | küçük atmaca |
| buzzard | şahin |
| long-legged buzzard | kızıl şahin |
| lesser spotted eagle | küçük bağırgan |
| steppe eagle | kartal |
| yırtıcı kartal | |
| imperial eagle | şah kartal |
| golden eagle | altın kartal |
| booted eagle | küçük kartal |
| osprey | balık kartal |
| lesser kestrel | küçük kerkenez |
| kestrel | kerkenez |
| red-footed falcon | kırmızıayaklı kerkenez |
| merlin | güvercin doğanı |
| hobby | delice doğan |
| lanner falcon | bıyıklı doğan |
| seker falcon | ulu doğan |
| rock partridge | kınalı keklik |
| partridge | çil |
| quail | bıldırcın |
| water rail | su tavuğu |
| spotted crake | benekli su tavuğu |
| little crake | cüce su tavuğu |
| corncrake | bıldırcın kılavuzu |
| moorhen | saz tavuğu |
| purple gallinule | saz horozu |
| coot | sakarmeki |
| crane | turna |
| little bustard | mezgerdek |
| great bustard | toy |
| oystercatcher | deniz saksağanı |
| black-winged stilt | uzunbacak |
| avocet | kılıçgaga |
| stone curlew | kocagöz |
| collared pratincole | bataklık kırlangıcı |
| black winged pratincole | siyah kanatlı bataklık kırlangıcı |
| little ringed plover | küçük halkalı |
| ringed plover | yağmurcun |
| kentish plover | yarım halkalı yağmurcun |
| great sandplover | büyük yağmurcun |
| dotterel | damgalı yağmurcun |
| golden plover | altın yağmurcun |
| silver plover | gümüşi yağmurcun |
| spur winged plover | mahmuzlu kışkuşu |
| sociable plover | step yağmurcun |
| lapwing | kiz kuşu |
| sanderling | çakıl kuşu |
| little stint | küçük çakılkuşu |
| temminck's stint | temmink kumkuşu |
| curlew sandpiper | kırmızı kumkuşu |
| dunlin | dağ kumkuşu |
| ruff | döğüşken kuş |
| snipe | su çuıluğu |
| black-tailed godwit | çamur kuşu |
| whimbrel | yağmur kervan çulluğu |
| curlew | kervan çulluğu |
| spotted redshank | pasrengi kızılbacak |
| redshank | kızılbacak |
| greenshank | bataklık düdükcünü |
| green sandpiper | yeşilbacak |
| wood sandpiper | orman düdükcün |
| common sandpiper | nehirkenarı koşucusu |
| red-necked phalarope | kırmızıboyunlu kumkuşu |
| mediterranean gull | akdeniz martısı |
| little gull | küçük martı |
| black-headed gull | karabaş martı |
| slender-billed gull | ince gagalı martı |
| common gull | küçük kara martı |
| lesser black-backed gull | büyük gümüşi martı |
| herring gull | kara martı |
| gull-billed tern | taneli deniz kırlangıcı |
| sandwich tern | deniz kırlangıcı |
| common tern | akalınlı deniz kırlangıcı |
| little tern | ak kanatlı deniz kırlangıcı |
| whiskered tern | beyaz bıyıklı deniz kırlangıcı |
| black-bellied sandgrouse | bağırtlak |
| rock dove | kayagüvercini |
| collared dove | kumru |
| turtle dove | üveyik |
| great spotted cuckoo | tepeli guguk |
| cuckoo | guguk |
| scops owl | cüce baykuş |
| eagle owl | puhu |
| little owl | kukumav |
| tawny owl | alaca baykuş |
| long eared owl | kulaklı orman baykuşu |
| short eared owl | bataklı baykuşu |
| nightjar | çobanaldatan |
| swift | karasağan |
| alpine swift | akkarınlısağan |
| kingfisher | yalı çapkını |
| bee eater | arı kuşu |
| roller | mavi kuzgun |
| hoopoe | çavuşkuşu |
| wryneck | döner boyun |
| Syrian woodpecker | suriye ağaçkakanı |
| calandra lark | oklağı toygarı |
| bimacullated lark | dağtoygarı |
| field lark | miyop toygar |
| lesser short-toed lark | küçük kısaparmaklı toygar |
| woodlark | orman toygarı |
| crested lark | tepeli toygar |
| skylark | tarla kuş |
| shore lark | kulaklı toygar |
| sand martin | kum kırlangıcı |
| Swallow | kırlangıç |
| house martin | ev kırlangıcı |
| barn swallow | kır kırlangıcı |
| tawny pipit | kır incir kuşu |
| tree pipit | ağaç incir kuşu |
| meadow pipit | çayır incir kuşu |
| red-throated pipit | kızıl gerdanlı incir kuşu |
| water pipit | su incir kuş |
| rock pipit | |
| blue-headed wagtail | kara enseli kuvruksallayan |
| yellow wagtail | sarı kuyruksallayan |
| citrine wagtail | |
| white wagtail | ak kuvruksallayan |
| pied wagtail | |
| Wren | çit kuşu |
| hedgesparrow/dunnock | çit serçesi |
| rufous bush chat | yelpaze kuyruklu bülbül |
| robin | nar bülbülü |
| thrush nightingale | çalı bülbülü |
| nightingale | bülbül |
| Bluethroat | buğdaycıl bülbül |
| white throated robin | iran bülbülü |
| black redstart | ev kızılkuyruğu |
| redstart | bahçe kızılkuyruğu |
| whinchat | çayır tarlakuşu |
| stonechat | taş kuşu |
| wheatear | kuyrukkakan |
| black eared wheatear | karakulaklı taşöpen |
| Isabelline wheatear | karabaşlı kuyrukkıran |
| Finsch's wheatear | |
| rock thrush | taş kızıl |
| blackbird | karatavuk |
| fieldfare | ardıçkuşu |
| mistle thrush | ökse ardıcı |
| cettis warbler | setti bülbülü |
| river warbler | ırmak ötleğeni |
| grasshopper-warbler | çekirge ötleğeni |
| moustached warbler | bıyıklı ırmakardıcı |
| sedge warbler | çif ardıcı |
| marsh warbler | bataklık ardıcı |
| reed warbler | küçük sazardıcı |
| great reed warbler | büyük sazardıcı |
| olive tree warbler | zeytin ardıcı |
| olivaceous warbler | beyaz ardıcı |
| lesser whitethroat | çif ötleğeni |
| çalı ötleğeni | |
| garden warbler | bahçe ötleğeni |
| blackcap | karabaş ötleğeni |
| bonelli's warbler | dağ söğüt ötleğeni |
| wood warbler | orman söğüt ötleğeni |
| chiffchaff | tiz sesli bülbülü |
| willow warbler | söğüt ötleğeni |
| goldcrest | çalıkuşu |
| spotted flycatcher | benekli sinekkapan |
| collared flycatcher | kolyeli sinekkapan |
| European pied flycatcher | kara sinekkapan |
| bearded tit babbler | bıyıklı baştankara |
| long-tailed tit | uzunkuyruklu baştankara |
| blue tit | mavi baştankara |
| great tit | büyük baştankara |
| rock nuthatch | kaya sıvacıkuşu |
| penduline tit | çulha kuşu |
| golden oriole | sarı asma |
| red backed shrike | kırmızı sırtlı örümcek kuşu |
| lesser grey shrike | kara alınlı boğan |
| great grey shrike | yırtıcı boğan |
| masked shrike | maskeli boğan |
| woodchat shrike | dokuz boğan |
| magpie | saksağan |
| jackdaw | küçük karga |
| rook | tohum kargası |
| hooded crow | leş kargası |
| starling | sığırcık |
| rose coloured starling | pembe sığırcık |
| rock sparrow | kaya serçesi |
| house sparrow | serçe |
| Spanish sparrow | söğüt serçesi |
| tree sparrow | dağ serçesi |
| chaffinch | ispinoz |
| brambling | dağ ispinozu |
| serin | küçük iskete |
| greenfinch | büyük iskete |
| goldfinch | saka |
| siskin | karabaşlı iskete |
| linnet | keten kuşu |
| twite | sarıgagalı ketenkuşu |
| crimson winged finch | pembe kanatlı ispinoz |
| common rosefinch | karmen renkli şakrakkuşu |
| yellowhammer | sarı kirazkuşu |
| cinereous bunting | gri kirazkuşu |
| black headed bunting | ortolan kirazkuşu |
| bataklık kirazkuşu | |
| karabaşlı kirazkuşu | |
| corn bunting | ekin kirazkuşu |
| wood pigeon | tahtalı güvercin |
| barn owl | peçeli baykuş |
| great spotted woodpecker | büyük alaca ağaçkakan |
| alaca kuyrukkakan | |
| şarkıcı ardıç | |
| karabaş küçük ötleğen | |
| Anadolu mahsus baştankara | |
| cüce sinekkapan | |
| Other animals groups | Diğer hayvan grupları |
|---|---|
| Reptiles | Sürüngenler |
| swamp turtle | bataklık kaplumbağa |
| agemes (agama ruderatilis) | hardun |
| starred lizard | |
| little lizard | cücecit kertenkelesi |
| Cappadocian lizard (ophisops elegans) | anadolu kertenkelesi |
| caspian arrowsnake (coluber caspius) | |
| water snake (natrix tesellata) | su yılanı |
| Tailes Amphibians | Kurbağagiller |
| green toad | yeşil karakurbağası |
| tree toad | ağaç kurbağası |
| lake toad | göl kurbağası |
| Fish | Balıklar |
| Carps | Sazangiller |
| Cobies | Taş yiyenler |
| Sailton pupfish | Dişli sazangiller |
| Hymenoptera | Zarkanatlılar |
| Libellae | Kızböcekleri |
| Mollusks | Yumuşakçalar |
Shelter / Food
Small ponds which have fresh water and are covered with dense reeds constitute ideal habitat environment for water birds to feed and shelter. Tadpoles and salamander larvae plus small fish around here underneath the high and dense reed let pelicans, cormorants, water hens, ducks, geese, flamingoes and spoonbills have no difficulties to find materials to build nests with.
Lake Yay, which is a saline water medium, is the breeding ground for flamingoes, gulls, swordbeaks (avocates) and some partridges. In the grassland at transition area between saline and fresh water media, breeding is observed of whimbrels, cranes and pelicans.
(English: Fikret Kara)
Have a look at the nature database as well...