Preliminary study on ornithofauna of Finike (Anaximander) Seamounts region and adjacent waters in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Ortaç Onmuş, Arda M. Tonay, Ayaka Amaha Öztürk, Uğur Özsandıkçı, Ayhan Dede

ORCID IDs: O.O. 0000-0002-3819-0626; A.M.T. 0000-0003-2718-9328; A.A.Ö. 0000-0003-2281-7372; U.Ö 0000-0002-7246-5494; A.D. 0000-0002-7712-615X

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Natural History Museum, Research and Application Centre, Ege University, Izmir, TÜRKİYE
Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University, Onaltı Mart Şehitleri Cad. No: 2, 34134, Fatih, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV), P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Faculty of Fisheries, Sinop University, Sinop, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

This is the first study regarding offshore seabird sightings in Turkish waters. The survey was carried out in Finike Seamounts (Anaximander) region and adjacent waters for 10 days in spring and seven days in autumn of 2021. Bird distributions were determined by visual observations that were carried out onboard R/V YUNUS-S with the standard line transect method. In total, 19 bird species belonging to seven Ordos and 11 Families were recorded. The first three dominant groups of species were Scopoli’s shearwater (Calonectris diomedea, n: 92, 47%), and common tern (Sterna hirundo, n: 22, 11%), and common swift (Apus apus, n: 15, 8%). In the Turkish coastal and offshore region of the Mediterranean, migratory movements and distribution of bird species, mainly Ardeidae (Ciconiiformes) and Laridae, Sternidae, and Scolopacidae (Charadriiformes), were observed in spring and autumn. In this paper, the observed and anticipated migration routes were described for those species. Detailed and long-term studies over larger areas are recommended at offshore regions in Türkiye.

Keywords: Seabirds, pelagic birds, eastern Mediterranean Sea, offshore observations, Ornitofauna, bird migration

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