写真

Kuşevi

銭usevi� (koosh-evvy) are Turkish bird-houses that are very often built into the walls of buildings, especially mosques. I spotted one particularly ornate one in Istanbul years back and since then have always been keeping a lookout and they seem to be all over the place.
Istanbul is not Turkey痴 only landlord catering to birds. From Thrace to Eastern Anatolia, bird houses are to be found in every place touched by human hands. Kirklareli, Tekirdag, Edirne, Bolu, Bursa, Milas, Antalya, Amasya, Kayseri, Ankara, Nevsehir, Sivas, Erzurum, Sanliurfa, Dogubeyazit are just a few of the Turkish cities with bird houses that we can mention here.
Bird houses are a symbol of the value and importance Turks place on animals, especially birds. Several foundations were founded in the Ottoman period for the care and protection of animals. Some of these foundations specialized in feeding birds on cold winter days, caring for and treating sick storks, and providing food and water to animals in general.
Most of Turkey痴 dovecotes date to Ottoman times but there are a few survivors from earlier periods. Non-migratory birds find shelter in them during frequently harsh winters, and protection from predators throughout the year. They come in many shapes and sizes, from small niches to miniature palaces and they always form part of the main building rather than being built separately.