Istanbul Birding Day Trip

With one foot on Europe and the other on Asia, Istanbul is exactly on the crossroads of bird migratory routes. It is squeezed not only between two continents, but also two climate systems, the European and Mediterranean climate. The northern shores are fringed with humid forests, whereas the southern shores are drier. The sea shore and lagoons provide excellent birding opportunities.

Being surrounded by water on three sides, Istanbul is home to quite a few water birds. Easy to spot Great cormorants and Mallard ducks. Waterside neighborhoods of Istanbul, like Sultanahmet and Beyoglu, are good for looking for water birds. The most obvious birds in Istanbul are the seagulls. Hundreds, if not thousands of them, circle above the ancient monuments filling the air with their haunting cries. There are a few species in the mix, notably the Yellow-legged gulls, Black-headed gulls and what appeared to be Heuglin’s gulls.