Checklist of avifauna diversity from Hürmetçi Marsh Natural Protected Area, Kayseri, Türkiye

Between 2015 and 2023, we conducted a study to evaluate the avifauna diversity in Hürmetçi Marshes, located near Kayseri city centre. This contour canal system and marsh areas encompass water and land habitats that attract a diverse bird species. After nine years of observations, we identified a total of 234 species of avifauna belonging to 21 orders and 53 families. Passeriformes had the most diversity with 94 species, followed by Charadriiformes (49 species), Anseriformes (17 species), Accipitriformes (15 species), Pelecaniformes (12 species), and the remaining 16 orders had the least diversity. A total of 65 species were identified as residents, 71 as summer visitors, 43 as winter visitors, and 55 as passage migrants. Researchers determined that 55 species of marsh fauna breed in the area. Furthermore, 23 species were found to be probable breeders in the marsh, while 10 species were likely to breed, and the remaining 146 species were not breeding. There are 217 species categorized as Least Concern (LC), nine species categorized as Near Threatened (NT), four species categorized as Vulnerable (VU), and two species categorized as Endangered (EN). This study provides basic information on the avifauna diversity and status of Hürmetçi Marsh for future management and conservation strategies and offers solutions for the sustainable use and conservation of the area.