Young Researchers from 13 Countries Join OMU Field Ornithology Training in Kızılırmak Delta

An international training program titled “Basic Skills in Field Ornithology” was held in the Kızılırmak Delta under COST Action CA22117 EUFLYNET, hosted by the Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Ornithology Research Center.

The program brought together 26 master’s and doctoral students from 13 countries for five days of theoretical and practical training in field ornithology.

On the final day of the program, participants also marked the 25th anniversary of the Cernek Bird Ringing Station, where the OMU Ornithology Research Center has conducted long-term bird ringing and monitoring activities in the Kızılırmak Delta.

OMU Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Alper Kesten, founding Director of the Ornithology Research Center Prof. Dr. Yakup Sancar Barış, and current Center Director Prof. Dr. Kiraz Erciyas Yavuz joined participants for the anniversary event.

Training Held under COST Action EUFLYNET

The program was organized from 7 to 11 September 2026 as part of COST Action CA22117 EUFLYNET – A European Flyway Research Network for the Effective Conservation of Migrant Landbirds.

Hosted by the OMU Ornithology Research Center, the training was supported by the Ondokuzmayıs Local Action Group Association, Wildlife Research Institute, Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, and Bafra Municipality.

Participants came from Austria, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Egypt, Morocco, Greece, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and Türkiye.

Theoretical and Practical Training in Field Ornithology

The five-day program was designed to strengthen participants’ knowledge and practical skills in field ornithology.

Core topics included bird ringing techniques, biometric measurements, bird census methods, and research design, all addressed through both theoretical instruction and hands-on fieldwork.

The program also covered the use of ringing data in population studies, various forms of statistical modelling in R, different tracking and monitoring technologies, colour ringing, nest-box studies, and DNA sampling and analysis in bird ringing research.

Classroom instruction was complemented by field exercises, bird observation, and practical work at the Cernek Bird Ringing Station.

This approach gave participants the opportunity to apply different research and monitoring methods directly in the field.

Training was delivered by Magdalena Remisiewicz, Jaroslaw Nowakowski, Marc Illa, Louis Hunninck, Prof. Dr. Kiraz Erciyas Yavuz, Dr. Necmiye Şahin, and Dr. Ortaç Çetintaş.

Young Researchers Connect through an International Scientific Network

In addition to developing technical knowledge and practical skills, the program enabled early-career researchers from different countries to exchange experience and establish new professional connections.

In line with the objectives of COST Actions, which bring researchers from across Europe and neighboring regions together around shared scientific goals, the training provided an environment for building research capacity, strengthening scientific networks, creating new collaborations, and disseminating common research approaches.

By working together in the same field and training environment for five days, participants were able not only to exchange existing knowledge and experience but also to establish connections that may contribute to future joint research and international collaboration.

Cernek Bird Ringing Station Marks Its 25th Anniversary

The program also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Cernek Bird Ringing Station, operated by the OMU Ornithology Research Center in the Kızılırmak Delta.

The anniversary highlighted the scientific importance of the station’s long-running bird ringing activities for ecological research, long-term monitoring, and researcher training.

Prof. Dr. Yakup Sancar Barış, founding Director of the OMU Ornithology Research Center, emphasized that maintaining long-term ecological research and monitoring without interruption requires considerable commitment and sustained effort.

He expressed his appreciation for the researchers, students, and volunteers who have contributed to the work carried out at the Cernek Bird Ringing Station over the years.

Kesten: “We Support International Scientific Collaboration”

OMU Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Alper Kesten emphasized the University’s commitment to scientific research and high-quality education, as well as its support for national and international initiatives in these areas.

Kesten said that bringing young researchers from different countries together under the umbrella of OMU and in an area of international importance such as the Kızılırmak Delta was valuable for both the University’s internationalization goals and the strengthening of scientific cooperation.

He thanked the participants for taking part in the program.

Thanks to the Instructors

Director of the OMU Ornithology Research Center Prof. Dr. Kiraz Erciyas Yavuz thanked all participants for their enthusiasm, energy, and active engagement throughout the training.

She also expressed her appreciation to the instructors who shared their knowledge and experience and contributed to the implementation of the program.

Following the speeches, commemorative gifts were presented to the instructors.

By combining theoretical instruction with intensive fieldwork, the five-day program created an international learning and research environment that encouraged knowledge exchange and scientific interaction among young researchers from different countries.

The training also helped establish new connections that may support long-term research partnerships and future international scientific collaboration.