Kızılırmak Delta

Overview

Where Turkey’s longest river finally reaches the Black Sea, near Bafra, it spreads into a flat green world of lagoons, reeds, flooded meadows and rice fields. Water buffalo wade through the pools, and in spring and autumn tired birds drop in after crossing the sea. This is the Kızılırmak Delta, one of the largest and best-preserved wetlands on Turkey’s Black Sea coast. So, for birdwatchers traveling along the north coast, the Kızılırmak Delta is the stop not to miss.

What Is the Kızılırmak Delta?

To begin with, the Kızılırmak, the “Red River”, is the longest river that flows entirely within Turkey. At its mouth, the delta spreads into a wide plain of lagoons, marshes and wet meadows. It lies mostly in the district of Bafra, with smaller parts in 19 Mayıs and Alaçam, and more than 30 villages stand on the plain around the lagoons.

Protecting the Kızılırmak Delta

In 1998, the marshes became a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Later, in 2016, Turkey also placed the delta on its tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage, and since 2017 hunting has been banned in part of it. Even so, dams upriver and new canals near the mouth have changed the delta, and its coastline is retreating.

Birds and Buffalo of the Kızılırmak Delta

A resting place after the sea crossing

With rich plant life and a large share of the bird species seen in Turkey, the delta is a key stop on the migration route along the Black Sea. In spring and autumn, therefore, migrating birds rest and feed here after crossing the sea. From Samsun, join our Kızılırmak Delta tour.

Water buffalo and old traditions

Besides, the wetlands are home to herds of water buffalo, kept for their milk and meat. In the past, the delta had its own festivals, among them a stork festival and a spring festival for the release of the buffalo into the marsh. Older villagers still remember these customs, though fewer young people keep them.

Endangered Species and Seven Million Migrants

The delta is one of the largest and best-preserved natural wetlands on Turkey’s Black Sea coast, with beaches, flooded forest, dunes, reed beds, mud flats and marshes side by side. Of the 24 endangered bird species in Turkey, 15 live here, and 140 species breed in the delta. Every year, more than 7 million migrating birds pass along its route. It holds several protection statuses at once, as a natural site, a wildlife development area and a Ramsar site, and in 2016 it joined UNESCO’s Tentative List.

How to Visit the Kızılırmak Delta

The delta lies west of Samsun, north of the coastal road near Bafra, so you can visit it on a drive along the Black Sea coast toward Sinop or Amasra. Afterward, cross the old arched bridge over the river in Bafra. For more wetlands, read our guide to birdwatching in Turkey and our pages on Kuşcenneti National Park and the Gediz Delta.