The landscape of mainland Greece is characterised by a mountainous interior (average altitude 500 m), with mountain ranges extending into the sea forming a heavily indented coastline and island chains. The interior is intersected by valleys, and interspersed with plateaux and major lake systems. Greece has a coastline of 13,676 km, some notable coastal lowlands, and around 2,000 marine islands and rocky islets.
Key habitats: Arable agriculture occupies 22% of the total land area (permanent cropland 8.5%). Forest, scrubland/maquis and eroded/dry areas are around 45%, of which grazing land comprises 20% of the national total, 9% is urban and 4% uninhabited rocky islets. About half of the arable and grazing lands are in the coastal wetland plains. Lakes and temporary wetlands cover approximately 1,140 km2.
Total number of species recorded: 423 Number of globally threatened species: 8 Number of Near Threatened species: 6 Number of Important Bird Areas: 196
Threats: Agricultural intensification, land redistribution schemes (amalgamation of fields and the consequent loss of scrubland and isolated trees), overgrazing, illegal hunting, illegal use of poisoned baits, recreation and tourism, wetland degradation, fires and intensified forest management.
Number of National Parks (including marine parks): 11 (Although there is no coherent state programme for their effective management) The BirdLife Partner: Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS). Date founded: 1982. Number of members: 500 Major programmes/areas of work: HOS's Important Bird Area (IBA) programme has helped shape the country's conservation policies. Since 1998, the organisation's expertise has enabled the government to identify and gazette 151 Special Protection Areas out of the 196 IBAs recognised by HOS and BirdLife.
A major conservation project on the Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae in the Mediterranean will be implemented from 2003 to 2007, in collaboration with the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) and other BirdLife partners, while an advocacy initiative on illegal hunting is also envisaged.
Text courtesy Birdlife International
Collared Flycatcher © Francisco Javier Garcia Vargas
Showing the 60 Most Recent Trip Reports Posted
Lesvos - September 2005, author Robert Hoare (link created September 30, 2005)
(Rock Thrush, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Great Spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzard)
Northern Greece - September 18th - 25th 2013, author Mike Neale (added September 27, 2013)
(Lake Kerkini, Porto Lagos, Nestos Delta, Evos Delta, Forest of Dadia)
Lesvos, 4th - 11th May 2000, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004)
Lesvos, 3rd - 17th May 2001, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004)
Lesvos, 2nd - 9th May 2002 (photo packed), author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004)
Lesvos, 26th April - 2nd May 2002, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004)
Lesvos, 30th May - 6th June 2002, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004)
Crete 20th April - 11th May 1998, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004)
Greece & Crete May 3rd - 19th 1999, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004)
Rhodes, 7th - 27th April 2003, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004)
Zakynthos, Greece, 20th - 27th June 2004, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 24, 2004)
Greece Lesvos May 2008, author Ste Rush (link created September 14, 2008)
(Lesvos, Digiscope, Lesbos, Greece, Black Kite, Skala Kalloni, Ipsalou)
Lesvos - May 2008, author Ste Rush (link created September 14, 2008)
(Ipsalou, Skala Kalloni, Digiscoping, Trip Report)
Greece, Corfu - 22nd - 29th September 2014, author Paul Dykta (added October 31, 2014)
(Agios Georgos (south), Fan-tailed Warbler to Long-legged Buzzard.)
Lesvos, Greece - 23rd - 30th May 2015, author Chris Seaton (added October 30, 2016)
(Lesvos, Kruper's and Rock Nuthatch, Cinereous and Cretzchmar's Bunting, Sombre Tit, Masked Shrike)
Greece: Spring Birding Adventure and Lesvos in Spring Extension Set Departure Trip Report, author Birding Ecotours (added October 24, 2023)
(Common and Alpine Swifts , Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Common Blackbird, European Robin,Eurasian Magpie. )
Gialova Lagoon, near Pylos, Greece, author Surfbirds Admin (added October 15, 2005)
(250+ species at this little known site - accommodation available at nearby Thanos Village)
Samos - September 2008, author Alan Miller (added October 1, 2008)
(Anne and I made a September visit to Samos to experience autumn on a Greek island. We were not disappointed with good weather, delicious food, friendly people and an interesting range of birds and butterflies.)
Lake Kerkini National Park - 30th October - 4th November 2017, author Christopher Hall (link created November 25, 2017)
Lesvos - Greece - April 24th - May 1st 2008, author Bob Buckler (added November 24, 2008)
Lake Kerkini National Park, Greece - 5th - 9th November 2015, author Christopher Hall (added November 12, 2015)
(Dalmatian Pelican, Syrian Woodpecker, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Rock Sparrow, Sombre Tit)
Mainland Greece in Autumn, author Colin Reid (added November 1, 2017)
(Black Vultures, Rock Nuthatch, Evros Delta, Dadia forest, Lake Kerkini, Prespa lakes, Pindos Mtns)
Lake Kerkini National Park, Greece - 29th April - 5th May 2017, author Christopher Hall (link created May 8, 2017)
Lesvos - 28th April - 5th May 2012, author Christopher Hall (added May 8, 2012)
(Metochi, Potamia valley, Achladeri, Skalachori, Kalloni salt pans, Napi valley)
Lesvos ‘Migration Island’ - 25th April – 2nd May 2015, author Christopher Hall (added May 7, 2015)
(Demoiselle Crane; Kruper's Nuthatch, Little Crake, Sombre Tit)
Lesvos 4th-18th May 2006, author Robert Hoare (link created May 30, 2006)
(Stepp-Grey Shrike, White-Throated Robin, Spur-Winged Plover)
North Corfu - 8th to 15th May 2006, author Justin Zantboer (added May 22, 2006)
(91 species was certainly more than I expected - I was very impressed with the birding and the location)
Paralia, Pieria region, Northern Greece - 2nd - 13th May 2018, author Mark Graham (added May 14, 2018)
Greece Tilos, author Konstantinos Mentzelopoulos (added March 17, 2005)
(Tilos, Bonelli's Eagle, Golden Eagle, Spotted Eagle, Eleonora's Falcon)
Greece Tilos Park, author Konstantinos Mentzelopoulos (link created March 16, 2005)
(Tilos, island, Greece, Dodecanese, Natural, Park, Reserve, Aegean, Bird)
Greece, Lesvos: April 2007, author Ed O'Hara (added June 24, 2007)
(Lesvos, Skala Kalloni, Rock Nuthatch, Krupers Nuthatch, Red-footed Falcon)
Greece (NE), 8th-10th February 2013, author Nick Watmough (link created June 2, 2013)
(Lake Kerkini, Greater Spotted Eagle, Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Common Crane)
Greek Island of Lesbos, author Jeff Hazell (link created June 2, 2010)
(Short Birding-trip May 6-13th 2010)
Greece - with Lesvos extension - May 2016, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created June 17, 2016)
(Lake Kerkini, Dadia Forest, Lesvos)
Keri, Zante - Greece - June 2016, author Mark Graham (added June 16, 2016)
Lesvos - 2nd - 15th May 2010, author Mick Sveikutis (added June 11, 2010)
(Lesvos, Kalloni, Faneromeni, Sigri, Ipsilou, Eresos)
Greece - Lesvos - May 1 - 15 2008, author Mick Sveikutis (added June 11, 2008)
(Lesvos, Skala Kalloni, Sigri, Ipsilou, herons, buntings, raptors, wheatears)
Birding Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania with AVESTOURS, author Avestours (added July 24, 2005)
(Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania)
Greece - Crete 23rd - 30th June 2015, author Tony Benton (added July 13, 2015)
(South west Crete - Bonelli’s Eagle, Red-rumped Swallow, Alpine Swift, Griffon Vultures, Crag Martin and Scops Owl. )
Greece - Lesvos - 22nd - 29th April 2010, author Bob Buckler (link created January 5, 2011)
(Lesvos, Kruper's Nuthatch, Cinereous Bunting, Cretzchmar's Bunting, ballion's Crake)
Greece - Lesvos - 29th April - May 6th 2010, author Bob Buckler (link created January 5, 2011)
(Lesvos, Kruper's Nuthatch, Cinereous Bunting, Cretzchmar's Bunting, ballion's Crake)
Greece - Lesvos - Safari tours, author kirlis ioannis (link created January 21, 2006)
(Lesvos)
Lesvos, April 2004, author Steve Bird (added January 15, 2007)
(with images of Collared Flycatcher, Cinerous Bunting, Black-headed Bunting and Kruper's Nuthatch)
Greece - Lesvos, author Paul Wetton (link created February 5, 2005)
(Lesvos, Skala Kalloni, Black Stork, Olive Tree Warbler, Rock Nuthatch, Long Legged Buzzard)
Greece - Lesvos, author Paul Wetton (link created February 5, 2005)
(Lesvos, Vatera, Olive Tree Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Cory's Shearwater, Masked Shrike)
Greece - Lesvos 15th April to 29th April 2002, author RICHARD J WESLEY (added February 13, 2006)
(Highlights - Potamia Valley - Masked Shrike, Lanner Falcon, Collared Flycatcher)
Greece, Lesvos - April 23rd - May 1st 2009, author Bob Buckler (added December 30, 2009)
(Lesvos, Skala Kalloni, Olive Tree Warbler, Baillon's Crake, Kruper's Nuthatch, Cinereous Bunting)
Greece, Lesvos - April 30th - May 7th 2009, author Bob Buckler (added December 30, 2009)
(Lesvos, Skala Kalloni, Olive Tree Warbler, Baillon's Crake, Kruper's Nuthatch, Cinereous Bunting)
Northern Greece, birding tour to Lake Kerkini, Lake Doiran and Axios Delta, author Ivailo Nikolov (link created December 19, 2006)
(Kerkini, Greece, Doiran, Flamingo, Greater Spotted Eagle, Bulgaria)
Corfu, Greece - 18th - 31st August 2012, author Steve Goddard (added December 16, 2012)
(Corfu, Wryneck, Long-legged Buzzard, Spectacled Warbler)
Kefalonia - July 17th - 31st 2007, author Phil Lindley (added August 3, 2007)
Lesvos - May 2005, author Robert Hoare (link created August 29, 2005)
(Krupers Nuthatch , Booted Eagle ,)
Lesvos, Greece 7th - 21st May 2009, author Mick Sveikutis (added August 20, 2009)
(Skala Kaloni, Anaxos, Petri, Molivos, Sigri, Ipsilou, Little Bittern, Rufous Bush Chat, Sombre Tit, Pallid Harrier, Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Black Stork, Gull-billed Tern, Kruper´s Nuthatch, Olive-tree Warbler)
Lesvos Birding - 5th to 19th May 2011 , author Mick Sveikutis (added August 16, 2011)
(Skala Kalloni, Metochi, Sigri, Achladeri, Kavaki, Petri, Faneromeni)
Eastern Mediterranean Birding - Lesvos - 12-18th May 2005, author Steve Richards (added August 16, 2005)
Rhodes, Greece - 4th - 11th May 2016, author Glyn Sellors (link created August 14, 2016)
(Some stunning images of Little Bittern, Lesser Kestrel, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear and many others)
Corfu - 22nd - 29th April 2014, author Glyn Sellors (link created August 14, 2016)
(Stunning images of Alpine Swifts, Collared Pratincoles and many others)
Lesvos ‘Migration Island’ - 19th – 26th April 2014, author Christopher Hall (added April 28, 2014)
(bunting 'fest')
Greece April 2008, author Joe Ray (link created April 28, 2008)
(Pellopennese, Athens, Gialova, Schinias, Rock Nuthatch, Red-rumped Swallow, Lanner, Night Heron, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Marsh Sandpiper, Rock Bunting, Wryneck, Hoopoe, Zitting Cisticola)
Rhodes, Greeece - 18th to 25th April 2012, author David Ousey (added April 26, 2012)
(Staying in Kiotari, south of Lindos)
Showing the 1 Latest Recent Sightings Posted
Bramiana Reservoir, Ierapetra, Lassithi, Whooper Swan - not recoded on Crete previously I author Steve Daniels (added January 9, 2012)