Birds of Greece

Rebecca Nason

• Publisher: Helm
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781472949035
• eBook ISBN: 9781472949028
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Zoology
• Index: Biological Sciences

From the Hoopoe to the Black-Headed Bunting, Greece is home to a wide range of avifauna, thanks to the richly varied habitats it has to offer. Pocket-sized and portable, this compact guide provides superb full colour photographs and detailed descriptions of each bird likely to be seen on a visit to the country. Whether you're a seasoned birdwatcher or a tourist keen to identify the birds you spot on your holiday, Birds of Greece is sure to be helpful.

Adult male (left), Adult female (right top), Juvenile (right bottom)

MUTE SWAN Cygnus olor 145–160cm

Very large all-white swan with a rounded head and very long, curved neck. Bill chunky, orange with black edging, black triangular base and black knob at forehead. Legs thick, short and black. Ungainly on land but graceful on water, with S-shaped neck and head often angled down. Juvenile shows washed-out grey-brown plumage and a pale greyish-pink bill lacking knob. Breeds on fresh waters, favouring reedbeds and coastal fringes; found in more open habitats in winter. Solitary nester. Can make aggressive hissing noises and snorts. Scarce local resident in north-west mainland Greece; locally common winter visitor, with a patchy, mainly coastal mainland, distribution.

Juveniles (first winter) (left), Adult (right)

WHOOPER SWAN Cygnus cygnus 145–160cm

Very large all-white swan with a flattened forehead and long, straight neck. Adult shows sloping black bill with large wedge-shaped yellow patch extending from bill base to nostril and beyond (not seen in adult Bewick’s Swan). Legs and feet thick and dark. In profile, swims with neck held high and straight. Juvenile grey-brown, greyer than juvenile Mute Swan, with pinkish-yellow bill and black border to lower mandible. Found mainly on freshwater bodies but also grazes on arable fields and flooded grasslands. Regular local winter visitor, mainly around the Evros Delta.

TUNDRA SWAN Cygnus columbianus 115–127cm

The subspecies in Greece is Bewick’s Swan. Very large white swan, smaller than Mute and Whooper swans. Best separation feature from Whooper is the bill, which is less straight and shows a rounded, less extensive yellow patch. Head is rounder and neck shorter than in Whooper. Juvenile greyish, resembling juvenile Whooper. Call is more honking, higher pitched and less repetitive than that of Whooper. Highly gregarious in winter, when large concentrations can be found in suitable open-water habitats. Once rare, now an increasingly regular winter visitor, particularly around the Evros Delta.

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons 65–78cm

Distinct medium-sized, compact grey-brown goose, the commonest goose in Greece. Easily identified by broad white blaze surrounding base of bill and forehead, and varying amounts of dark barring on underparts. Bill pinkish, legs and feet rich orange. Juvenile lacks white forehead and barring on underparts, but bill is pink with a dark tip. Feeds on natural grasslands and arable land. Fairly common but local winter visitor between November and March, mainly to the Evros Delta, Thrace and Macedonia, where thousands can gather. Can be found further south around the Aegean Islands in severe winters.

RUDDY SHELDUCK Tadorna ferruginea 61–67cm

Medium-sized, rather goose-like duck, with a small black bill and proportionally long legs and neck. Adult has striking burnt-orange body plumage ending halfway up neck, then warm cream around upper neck and head. White around forehead and face highlight small black bill and black button eyes. Male shows distinctive black ring around neck (lost in winter), and a glossy green sheen to black primary feathers and tail. In flight, shows white and black wings from above and below. Juvenile similar but with paler fawny-brown mantle and back. Declining scarce breeder and local partial migrant in Greece. Low numbers breed along north-east coasts of Macedonia and Thrace, south to some Aegean islands. Occurs irregularly on northern mainland coasts in winter.

COMMON SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna 58–67cm

The size and shape of a small goose but with distinctive plumage. Adult of both sexes mainly white with contrasting dark green (almost black) head and neck, broad chestnut-brown breast-band, and black shoulders, flight feathers and central belly stripe. Bill large, bright red-pink and legs bubblegum pink. In summer, male has a bulbous red-pink knob on bill base, rising onto forehead. Juvenile whiter throughout, with grey-brown face, hindneck, back and wings. Bill and legs greyish pink. Calls include a smothered whistle and nasal ga-ga-ga. Prefers coasts, mudflats, marshes and some freshwater wetlands. Breeding is patchy, with a northern coastal bias. Fairly scarce local resident; widespread and locally common winter visitor.

Adult males (left), Adult females (right)

EURASIAN WIGEON Anas penelope 45–51cm

Most common wintering duck in Greece. Male distinct, with a rounded chestnut-red head, creamy-yellow forehead, pale blue bill with a black tip, dusky-pink neck, grey body and black rear. White patch on upperwing obvious in flight. Female best identified by shape, with a rounded head, distinctive bill, short neck and pointed tail. Plumage brown, rather mottled, with some orange-brown to breast and flanks, but very variable. Whitish belly evident when feeding on land; lacks white wing-patch. Male in eclipse resembles female but retains white wing-patch. Call is a whistling wheeooo. Fairly widespread, locally very common visitor to coastal waters and marshes in winter.

GADWALL Anas strepera 46–56cm

Medium-sized dabbling duck, smaller and slimmer than Mallard. Male finely speckled grey, with a browner head and conspicuous black rear. White speculum and chestnut wing-coverts obvious in flight. Bill dark grey. Female like female Mallard, but has orange sides to bill, colder-toned plumage, white speculum in flight and white on belly. Juvenile like female but richer brown, with no obvious white speculum in flight. Often found in pairs on large wetlands, lakes, and brackish and freshwater habitats with ample vegetation. Scarce local resident in northern Greece; fairly common winter visitor along coastal mainland Greece. Evros Delta holds the largest wintering population, and Macedonia and Thrace together hold the core resident breeding population.

Adult male (left)...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Birdlife in Greece
• How to use this book
• Natural Greece – an overview
• Top birding sites in Greece
• Species descriptions
• Glossary
• Photo credits
• Resources
• Acknowledgements
• eCopyright