Turkey's endangered 'bird language' added to UN cultural heritage list

ANKARA - The unusual and very efficient whistle language used as a means of communication by villagers in the remote and mountainous northern Turkey has been added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage but could soon be overtaken by modern technology.

The United Nations cultural agency has accepted the "bird language" of Black Sea villagers as an endangered part of world heritage in need of urgent protection.

Around 10,000 people, mostly in the district of Canakci in Giresun province, still use the language, which is a highly developed high-pitch system of whistling to communicate in rugged terrain where people mostly cannot see each other.