EDIRNE, Turkey 

Electricity poles in Turkey's northwestern Edirne province are ready for the return of migratory storks after providing a safe environment for the birds, according to local officials.

The Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization in Edirne made portable nests for the birds as part of a project to protect the storks and electricity lines.

Teams found scattered or degraded nests in villages along the Saros Bay, where there is a natural protected site for breeding and accommodation of the storks.

The new nests of the storks, expected to return during the spring, are mounted on electric poles with the help of teams from the electricity distribution company.

Engin Ozturk, the environment and urbanization general director, told Anadolu Agency the region hosts 50,000 migratory birds.

“The nests are built on electricity poles to prevent the storks from being caught in electrical current due to their random nesting, to eliminate the malfunctions in the power lines and ensure that the teams work more efficiently in case of any malfunction,” said Ozturk.

Alaattin Arici, the head of Vakif village, said the town is on the route of the migratory birds.

He noted that a large number of storks live on the electricity poles in the village, which can be dangerous. “There have been two fires on electricity poles due to malfunction this year. In one incident, four baby storks perished,” he said.

“With this project, the storks will be provided with a safer living environment,” he said and thanked officials who were instrumental in implementing the project.