2 
Compared with coastal areas, wader numbers were not very ligh for most 
species. However, many more wetland areas of various size are Eg be found 
in the interior of Turkey, many of which have some suitable wader habitat. 
It is very difficult to obtain a reasonable estimation of the total 
numbers of waders using these wetlands, but these could be high. Attempts 
to catch waders at Tuzla Golii were made mainly in the freshwater marsh. 
In total, 118 waders (13 species) were ringed and measured. 
To gain some insight into prey types available to waterbirds, macrofauna 
was sampled in different habitats. In contrast to tidal areas, almost no 
benthic fauna was found. The main food available for waders seemed to be 
free-living organisms such as crustaceans, insects, larvae of amphibians, 
and, in some lakes, small fish. Foraging waders sometimes displayed very 
wide habitat spectrums. For instance, Ruffs were found swimming on the 
lake in pursuit of crustaceans, wading along the water's edge and in 
densely vegetated marshes, walking on flooded meadows and even in large 
flocks on arable land, where they may have been taking seeds, and were 
observed following tractors in the manner of Black-headed Gulls Larus 
ridibundus . Other species showed clearer habitat preferences; Wood 
Sandpipers were usually found in freshwater marshes with dense vegetation 
of sedges and rushes, and Spotted Redshanks Tringa erythropus seemed 
confined to lakes holding populations of small fish. 
The main threat to the wetlands of the Anatolian plateau seems to be the 
construction of large-scale drainage schemes. With these schemes, the 
flooding of low-lying areas with fresh water during spring is greatly 
reduced. This may well affect the suitability of these wetlands for 
waterbirds, since significantly .larger numbers of birds were often found 
at sites where the influence of fresh water was apparent. 
Apart from the work on waders, notes were made of the occurrence of all 
other birds species in the areas visited. Ringing of passerine migrants 
was carried out on a small scale. Interesting observations were 319 
White-headed Ducks Oxyura leucocephala and 2 Demoiselle Cranes 
Anthropoides virgo at Kulii Gblii, a few Great Bustards Otis tarda at 
Tuzla and Tuz Colli, and Citrine Wagtails Motacilla citreola at several 
locations including a maximum of 18 at Tuzla Gblu, where strong 
indications of breeding were found. 
The members of tne Central Anatolia Project 1988 were Drs. Miriam J. 
Langeveid, Mark W. J. van Roomen, Gurdagar Sarigul, Hans Schekkerman, 
Levent Turan and Drs. Jeroen C. J. van Wetten. The project was financed 
by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Beyerinck Popping 
Fonds, Conseil International de la Chasses et de la Corservation du 
Gioier, Bachienes tichting , OSME and Dr. L. Hoffmann. The work was carried 
out in cooperation with the Haceteppe University at Ankara, in the persons 
of Dr. I. Kiziroglu and L. Turan, and the Turkish Scoeity for the 
Protection of Wildlife (DHKD), in the persons of N. Yazgan and G. 
Sarigul. 
