The First Record of Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus (Pallas, 1811) from Diyarbakır Province, South-Eastern Part of Türkiye
Abstract
The Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus is firstly determined in three different locations in the same period in Diyarbakır province. During the field excursions that conducted in the region between June and October 2025 the observed individual together with available earlier records for the region have been evaluated. Between 1 June and 8 October 2025 period, a total of 99 Greater Flamingo individuals comprising both juveniles and adults were recorded at three distinct locations characterized by dam and pond habitats. These findings underscore the ecological value of freshwater systems in southeastern Anatolia and point to emerging environmental changes in the area. These observations show that flamingos make use of the region during the migration period, specifically from June until the first half of September. Although flamingos generally favour saline wetlands, their occurrence in these freshwater areas indicates they have adapted to using freshwater areas as well during migration. Recent assessments suggest that the migration routes of flamingos in Türkiye are more extensive than previously assumed and are shaped by the presence of diverse wetland ecosystems. Understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of the species is essential and important for effective conservation planning, particularly in light of ongoing threats such as habitat degradation, alterations in water management, climate-induced changes, and increasing human disturbance.
Keywords
Phoenicopterus roseus, Greater Flamingo, Diyarbakır, South-east Anatolia, Türkiye.
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