Reyhanlı Dam in southern Turkey's Hatay province is proving to be a key point on the seasonal migration route for birds. The dam has only been operational for a year, but it has already become a haven for birds and bird watchers alike with nearly half of the known bird species in Turkey spotted there at some point over the past year.

Studies are continuing to determine the bird species that pass through the Reyhanlı Dam area, whose reservoir has a water collection volume of 480 million cubic meters and allows for the irrigation of approximately 600,000 decares (nearly 1,000 square miles) of land in the Amik Plain.

Many bird species have started to use Reyhanlı Dam and its surroundings as nesting areas.

Ali Atahan, the president of the Subaşı Bird and Butterfly Watching Association, studying on the ground, said that the dam, which started storing water last year, is an important location for migratory birds.

"As an association, we have started detection studies in the area since last June. We have observed 194 bird species in Amik Bird Heaven so far. Compared to 489 bird species recorded throughout the country, we have detected 40% of them in a very short time, like one year, in Reyhanlı Dam," he said.

The coastal heron, photographed by Emin Yoğurtcuoğlu, one of Turkey's most important bird watchers, and recorded as the 489th species in Turkey, was also spotted at Reyhanlı Dam.