Volunteers in Mersin keep watch near power lines to keep migrating birds from being electrocuted

Photos: Nature Association

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Turkey's southern province of Mersin is on the migration routes of birds coming from Africa every year. However, some birds are electrocuted due to the lack of insulation on the electricity poles they roost at night.

To prevent this, members and volunteers of the Nature Association have been keeping a watch near power lines since early August.

Mersin is a spot for resting and foraging for gliding bird species such as white storks, small vultures, eagles, hawks, sparrowhawks, and cranes, the association noted.

After finding some electrocuted storks in early August, the volunteers started to work to keep birds off the electricity poles and inform the authorities about the poles that need to be insulated.

They use three-meter-long sticks with bags attached to them and blow whistles to keep the birds off the poles.

Also, the authorities started placing light-reflecting bird repellents on poles after the association contacted the Mersin Natural Parks Directorate and the Mersin Toroslar Electricity Distribution Company about the issue.

"We are working for the storks to complete their journey safely," said Turan Çetin, Nature Association Mersin Regional Manager. "This awareness should not only be in Mersin but all across Turkey.

"There are many bird watchers, experts, academics and non-governmental organizations in Turkey and there is a lot of research on birds.

"The regions where birds die like this during migration are known, but companies don't do enough insulation work on electricity poles. The deaths of long-winged birds such as storks should be prevented by starting the necessary works immediately in the regions where bird deaths occur." (TP/VK)