Birdwatcher captures rare species in Samandağ
HATAY

A high school student from Istanbul, passionate about birdwatching since the age of 9, has photographed a white-crowned wheatear in Hatay’s Samandağ district. The species had been photographed only once before in Türkiye.
Seventeen-year-old Çağan Abbasoğlu developed an interest in birdwatching after being inspired by a book gifted to him. With his family's support, he quickly became familiar with different bird species and spent his semester break in Samandağ with his father for birdwatching.
Abbasoğlu captured images of the white-crowned wheatear, which has been recorded in Türkiye only four times before and was photographed for the first time last year.
Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Abbasoğlu said he and his father traveled to Samandağ in search of rare bird species during the break.
Describing the moment he spotted the white-crowned wheatear, he said: “It was an incredible moment because, like many others, it was one of my dream species. I took a few photos within seconds before it flew a bit farther. We tried to approach it, but it wasn’t shy at all. In fact, it was curious about us and came closer.”
Yakup Yener, president of the Gaziantep Photography Art Association, said the bird was only photographed for the second time in Türkiye. Following reports of its sighting, nearly 100 birdwatchers from across the country flocked to the area.
The white-crowned wheatear is a large wheatear species, with males and females having similar appearances. It has a glossy black body with black plumage extending down to its legs. Many adults have a white crown, while juveniles and some adults have black crowns. It is distinguished by its size, long beak and a black, squared tail with white edges. Its varied song consists of whistling and melodic notes, interspersed with rougher sounds, and it often mimics other birds in its habitat.
According to the birdwatching platform eBird.org, the white-crowned wheatear was first recorded in Türkiye in 1993 in Kayseri, followed by sightings in Adana in 1996 and Antalya in 2005. However, it was only photographed for the first time last year in Hatay.