Street Birds

A ragtag group of five street kids work under a brutal fixer called Çatal, scraping by in a rough neighborhood. One night they discover an abandoned infant in a trash bin, and Mercan’s instinct to protect the child leads the group to raise her as their own, naming her Gülayşe. When Çatal notices the baby, violence follows, and a woman searching for the child is accidentally killed, terrifying the kids into leaving their usual turf. The baby’s true origins, tied to a wealthy family and a calculating relative who wants her for his own ends, complicate their efforts to stay safe. To shield Ali from suspicion in the fatal incident, the group claims to be siblings, and an unexpected ally at their café offers them a chance at a different life.

Street Birds premiered in 2023, created by Ayse Ferda Eryilmaz and Nehir Erdem and directed by Benal Tairi. The series stars Ilayda Alişan as Gülayşe Ateş/Lara Eyüboğlu, Hande Soral as Mercan Ateş, Burak Tozkoparan as Barbaros Tunalı, Görkem Sevindik as Ali Ateş, and Gonca Cilasun as Hacer Eyüboğlu.

As of its release, Street Birds has not received major international awards or high profile nominations. While it has attracted attention from viewers and some local outlets for its performances and themes, there’s no widely reported recognition from major award ceremonies to date.

Audience response has been favorable in available ratings, with a 9.3/10 vote average from listed votes, and reviewers and viewers have highlighted the cast’s emotional work and the series’ focus on found family. Major themes include loyalty among marginalized youth, the impact of class disparity, maternal instinct in unexpected places, and how moral choices get complicated under pressure.

The show has sparked conversations in Turkey about child welfare, urban poverty, and the stark contrast between affluent families and children fending for themselves on the streets. Memorable scenes of the kids caring for the baby and the moral dilemmas they face have been shared online, helping generate viewer interest and discussion.