Juan RAMÍREZ ROMÁN, Montague H. C. NEATE CLEGG, Berkay DEMİRAY, Çağan Hakkı ŞEKERCİOĞLU

Endangered Basra Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus griseldis) recorded for the first time in Turkey (Aves: Acrocephalidae)

The Basra Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus griseldis) is an endangered songbird that breeds in the reed beds of southernMesopotamia. Hydrological projects, war, and drought have greatly reduced the breeding habitat of this species, making its futureuncertain. The first Basra Reed-warbler for Turkey was caught in a mist net on 22 May 2018 at the Aras River Ornithological ResearchStation, between the provinces of Kars and Iğdır. This represents one of only a few vagrant records in the eastern Mediterranean, andthe northernmost record to date. It is likely that this bird was an overshooting spring migrant, but the existence of other small breedingpopulations elsewhere in the Middle East could lead to more migrants, or even breeding pairs, occurring in eastern Turkey in the future.Riparian oases such as the Aras River Bird Paradise are vital habitats for millions of migrating birds of hundreds of species and if moreindividuals of Turkey’s first endangered songbird are discovered, it would raise the conservation priority of the region’s wetlands evenfurther.

PDF

___

Ayé R (2006). Basra Reed Warblers in Iran in May 2004, with notes on vocalization. Dutch Bird 28: 304-306.
Chen IC, Hill JK, Ohlemüller R, Roy DB, Thomas CD (2011). Rapid range shifts of species associated with high levels of climate change. Science 333: 1024-1026.
Cyprus Ornithological Society (1957) (1995). Annual Report 42. Paphos, Cyprus: Cyprus Ornithological Society (1957).
Dyrcz A (2018a). Basra Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus griseldis). In: del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J, editors. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. Available online at https://www.hbw.com/species/basra-reed-warbleracrocephalus-griseldis.
Dyrcz A (2018b). Great Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). In: del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J, editors. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. Avalable online at https://www.hbw.com/species/great-reedwarbler-acrocephalus-arundinaceus.
Evans MI (1993). Iraq marshes doomed. Ornithol Soc Middle East Bull 31: 28-29.
Horns JJ, Buechley E, Chynoweth M, Aktay L, Çoban E, Kırpık MA, Herman JM, Şaşmaz Y, Şekercioğlu ÇH (2016). Geolocator tracking of Great Reed-Warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) identifies key regions for migratory wetland specialists in the Middle East and sub-Saharan East Africa. Condor 118: 835- 849.
Jennings MC (2010). Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia. Fauna Arab. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Karger Libri.
Kennerley P, Pearson DJ (2010). Reed and Bush Warblers. London, UK: Christopher Helm.
Kirwan GM, Boyla KA, Castell P, Demirci B, Özen M, Welch H, Marlow T (2008). The Birds of Turkey: The Distribution, Taxonomy and Breeding of Turkish Birds. London, UK: Christopher Helm.
Kirwan GM, Martins RP, Eken G, Davidson P (1999). A checklist of the birds of Turkey. Sandgrouse Supplement 1: 1-32.
Lees AC, Gilroy JJ (2009). Vagrancy mechanisms in passerines and near-passerines. In: Slack R, editor. Rare Birds, Where and When: An Analysis of Status and Distribution in Britain and Ireland. York, UK: Rare Birds Books, pp. 1-23.
Maltby E (1994). An Environmental and Ecological Study of the Marshlands of Mesopotamia (Draft Consultive Bulletin). London, UK: Amar Appeals Trust.
Parmesan C (2006). Ecological and evolutionary responses to recent climate change. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 37: 637-669.
Pearce F (1993). Draining life from Iraq’s marshes. New Sci 138: 11- 12.
Perlman Y, Shanni I (2008). Basra Reed Warblers breeding in Israel. Alula 14: 46-47.
Richardson C (2006). Home and away: Birding Syria. Bird World 19: 76-77.
Richardson CJ, Hussain NA (2006). Restoring the Garden of Eden: an ecological assessment of the marshes of Iraq. Bioscience 56: 477-489.
Şekercioğlu ÇH, Anderson S, Akçay E, Bilgin R (2011a). Turkey’s rich natural heritage under assault. Science 334: 1637-1639.
Şekercioğlu ÇH, Anderson S, Akçay E, Bilgin R, Can ÖE, Semiz G, Tavşanoğlu Ç, Yokeş MB, Soyumert A, Ipekdal K et al. (2011b). Turkey’s globally important biodiversity in crisis. Biol Conserv 144: 2752-2769.
Türkoğlu M, Şekercioğlu ÇH (2017). Iğdır’ın kuşları. Ankara, Turkey: T.C. Orman ve Su İşleri Bakanlığı Doğa Koruma ve Milli Parklar Genel Müdürlüğü (in Turkish).
UNEP (2003). Environment in Iraq. Nairobi, Keyna: United Nations Environment Programme.
Yésou P, Flohart G, Murdoch D (2007). First record of Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis for Syria. Sandgrouse 29: 214- 215.