A marsh harrier fitted with a satellite transmitter in eastern Türkiye has returned to its breeding grounds after a 688-day intercontinental migration, offering rare insight into long-distance bird movement across multiple continents.
The bird, tracked by researchers at the Aras Bird Research and Education Center in Iğdır, completed a journey of more than 30,000 kilometers (18,640 miles), migrating twice southward and twice northward before returning to the Aras Bird Paradise, a key wetland along a major migration route.
The marsh harrier was first captured on June 13, 2024, when researchers attached a lightweight satellite transmitter to its wing before releasing it back into the wild. The device enabled scientists to track its movements in real time as it traveled across a vast geographic range.
The bird’s return was confirmed after volunteers conducting fieldwork photographed it by chance, with the transmitter visible on its wing.
Further analysis verified that it was the same individual previously ringed and released in the region.
Data collected from the transmitter showed the bird covered 30,584 kilometers over the 688-day period, passing through Türkiye, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Kenya.
It also reached an altitude of 4,008 meters (13,150 feet) over Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
Gül Tutar, station manager at the Aras Bird Research and Education Center, said the bird is an adult male weighing about 430 grams and has been tracked using a 10-gram transmitter.
“The satellite data allowed us to follow the individual’s migration route in detail,” Tutar said, adding that the bird repeated the migration cycle four times within roughly two years.
She said the bird likely returned to the Aras River area, which serves as its breeding ground, and is expected to begin migrating south again after spending the summer in the region.
Researchers say such tracking studies provide valuable data on migration patterns, habitat use and environmental changes, contributing to conservation efforts both in Türkiye and internationally.
