Erçek Lake, which has an undisturbed nature, hosts flamingos this year as it is every year. Erçek Lake, one of the important accommodation centers for migratory birds on the journey from Iran to North Africa, hosts more than 200 bird species, especially flamingos.

Erçek Lake, which is located in the Van Lake Basin and hosts about 200 wild bird species, is especially important for the flamingos. Dr. Lokman Aslan, director of Wildlife Conservation Center in Yuzuncu Yil University, said that Erçek Lake has an unspoiled nature.

Aslan pointed out that many birds live in wetlands in the Van Lake Basin, protecting their generation, and expressed that the bird population is increasing because of the fact that two migration routes are located in the same basin.

Aslan said, “There are birds living as migrants, birds living as domestic. Van Lake Basin has a fortunate place in both directions because of the fact that five percent of the wetlands in Turkiye located in Van Lake Basin. This is one of the places where birds prefer especially because of the high wetlands and two migration routes It increases the bird population in the Van Lake Basin.”

Nearly 200 bird species have been identified in Van Lake Basin

Referring to the fact that there are close to 200 birds living in the wetlands of the Van Lake Basin and that the bird species will increase as the work done goes on, Aslan said: “Scientifically, more than 200 bird species have been identified around the Lake Van. We also carry out these studies as the University Wildlife Conservation Center and our friends in science faculty biology department are also working in the wetlands of these birds as they migrate. With the continuation of the studies, the number of these bird species is increasing day by day. 200 birds’ species have been identified in this wetland. It is anticipated that these bird species will grow even further if studies continue in this way. "

“Erçek Lake has an unspoiled nature”

Aslan said that Erçek Lake has an unspoiled nature and therefore it is an important place for flamingos. “Lake Erçek is one of the wetlands in the Van Lake Basin. Erçek Lake provides a suitable environment for the life of the birds that can live in the water. This year the flamingos were seen in the reeds and wetlands of Edremit. Flamingos can be seen from the beginning March to November in this area but it may change according to the early hot or cold weather of the air.”

“After the Flamingos go, the swans come”

Aslan stated that after the migration of flamingos, the swans came to the same places, “They used it as a place to come here and migrate to the warmer regions. 10 thousand bird species population live in and around Erçek Lake. When there are many bird species on Erçek Lake, swans come to this area after flamingos are gone. So we can see birds in certain periods and seasons around Erçek Lake for 12 months.” (Yılmaz Sönmez, Suat Tink - ILKHA)