Greece as a birding destination

Greece as a birding destination

Birding is big in nature-based tourism. However, it is not an easy 'industry' to develop. Greece is an interesting country to discuss such development. 

The interest in international wildlife watching tourism in Greece is probably old but probably rather slow growing. See multiple references to: ''wildflowers and archeological sites'', Spring birding on Lesvos (Lesbos), botanical excursion to Crete etc  (ever since the late 1970s...) and this "hidden Greece" approaches away from the beaches have been well promoted. Ever since people like Marc Dubin (Rough Guides) helped inland areas famous (at least since the early 1980s). "Wildlife" stands as a nice complement to cultural tours, i.e., many of the culutural monuments are in marvelous open landscapes, sometime close to wild lands too. Also, I should mention Oliver Rackham and his important contribution through the book 'The Making of the Creten Landscape' (1996). In the '80s and '90s, when there were magazines and tiny guide books sold at kiosks, people like George Sfikas provided an important impetus for promoting natural history tourism here. And there were many writers at the time (now they are bloggers, or vloggers...). Ok.

There were different stages of this promotion. And some of it really worked but was it sustainable? 

Ok, since the early 1980s there has been an active interest in some kind of quasi-ecotourism development in this country but nothing never really clicked, despite the glossy photos, nature protection areas (on paper), and good new accomodation facilities, etc. 

Lets focus on birds. Not a lot of the country was well known for birding before 2000 (and before Google Earth; it was not easy to explore). Since, 1997, when 'Birds of Greece' was published by Handrinos and Akriotis (this was a land-mark for birding developement as where some early "site-guides" (Crete, Lesbos, Northern Greece)).  

Times have changes a generation later (2015-2025 period). We know where the birds are and this has really been helped by Ornithologiki, Greece's birdlife partner, with many field trips and information and leBird, of course. One would expect Greece to be good/thriving/big for birding tourism. Simple criteria point to this and  support this claim. There are some amazing hotspot concentrations - with specialty birds, big wetlands, migration traps and an amazing combo with beach and cultural tourism. Also, Greece is so easy to drive around in, and you can combine driving in Greece with visiting four bordering Balkan countries next door. Also Greece is a beautiful. 

Is Greece a top birding country in Europe and the Med: no (i.e., compared to Spain, Isreal, Turkey Cyprus, France).

I generally feel a lot more could have been done here. And there are many lost opportunities and degraded sites (i.e, trashed infrastructure, wasted efforts by government, and poor conservation interest).  Basically Greece is a top and global nature tourism opportunity which we Greeks have trashed and neglected, for 4 decades straight! I know there is a lot of greenwashing paperwork saying otherwise. 

Yes, I think we have failed. And I say this from experience. I first led tours with my brother and then my wife in the late 1980s and 1990s; then I did a lot of education tourism in this century. So I have been doing this a lot (despite my other interests and varied activities).  I still lead educational tours. I know Greece. Why am is so negative?

Well, maybe I should not be so negative (leave that for another time)...here I will concentrate on the successes, the good places. Where a perfect combination of location, government support and private initiatives really made a difference. Where local people really benefited and birds were effectively used a as an incentive and tool for ecotourism development.  

Some areas, about 30 or so hotspots did become 'world famous' for birders in Greece. And the specific attractions have recived a steady development (ecodevelopment, ecotourism). This is looking at the glass half-full. Lets do this. 

Where are the top birding hotspots where we have good ecotourism experiance in Greece?

It depends on your choices, your criteria: lets use these: Richness (bird spp.), Distinctness (ambiguous I know...) and accessibility as categoreis. 

I would wager there are 13 top areas, and I know I am missing out a lot but lets see these together here...

I divided GR in North and South based on a line across the country. This is a bit abstract but worthy of consideration since 8 of the sites are north of the line (only 5 south of the line). Note that all areas have wetlands and no non-wetland dominated area is included except say Crete which has some minor wetland sites as well. The north is exceptional in having many more 'lesser' areas close to and attached to the ones selected here - and some of these are uniquely rich near the wetlands. So in the North you may have the wetlands and the temperate mountain landscapes (this includes the spectacular Central Rhodope mountains near Nestos or the Kaimaktsalan Mountains with the 'lake district' of Kastoria-Ptolemaida for example). The south is interesting in having some specialty birds not easily found in the north (Bonelli's Eagle, Ruepell's Warbler, huge colonies of Eleanora's Falcon, etc). The scale of cover in the south and the distinctiveness is hard to express. There are many smaller areas that are not in the 13 top sites I picked here: some areas that probably should be included are: Naxos Island (wetlands and mountains with Griffin Vulture colonies), Kos (wetlands), Samos (Eastern specialties, small wetlands).

This is a quick description of the top sites I picked in this rapid review:

1. Evros Delta National Park (Eastern Macedonia and Thrace)

Why: Legendary. One of Europe’s great deltas (≈320 spp. most easily seen each year), guided tours/boat rides via the Visitor Centre (Loutros). Extensive seasonal checklists and reports going back to late 1960s. Best seasons: peak spring and autumn migrations and definatly winter (geese, raptors, swans, pelicans, rarities all the time). Facilities & access:easy; track network (4×4 helpful in wet months), boat trips (more so in the past); good access from Alexandroupolis and close to other hotspots along the border (and on the other side of the border as well).

2. Dadia–Lefkimi–Soufli Forest NP (Eastern Macedonia and Thrace)

Why: Raptor stronghold with Europe’s vulture trio; raptor observatory & good information centre; long-term scientific monitoring shows since early 1990s strong - outstanding conservation impact. Famous place. Good network of trials. Best seasons: All year round. Late spring–summer for migrants, breeders and soaring birds; autumn migration wonderful with storks and eagle passage and lots of passerines; forest birds. Winter: Wintering raptors and passerines. Facilities & access: Dadia visitor centre & hide network; one private hide for photography (Chris Vlachos). Area regenerating after a massive forest fire a couple of years back. Still a beautiful area, within a culturally interesting part of Greece; easy access to Turkey and Bulgaria increase the ecotourism potential.

3. Nestos Delta, Porto Lagos & Lakes Vistonida–Ismarida (Eastern Macedonia and Thrace)

Why: One of Greece’s largest national parks by extent although much of it under cultivation. Lots to see: mosaic of lagoons, reedbeds, ponds, lakes, & coastal steppe, saltmarshes, and the largest lowland riparian forest in the country (much of it regenerating after protection and restoration progremmes). Multiple vantage points and tracks (but area not well organized; poorly promoted).  Best seasons: spring for herons/warblers/raptors; winter for geese and ducks. Facilities & access: spread-out network of drivable embankments; visitor nodes at Porto Lagos area but still poorly developed. Nearby uplands also of interest, especially Kompsatos Gorge and Nestos Gorge. Site very close to spectacular mountaion areas of the Central and Eastern Rhodope massif. But generally, this area is underplayed, poorly organized (a transit area moslty). 

4. Lake Kerkini National Park (Central Macedonia)

Why: Without a doubt Greece's best all-round international birding destination! Year-round abundance and high diversity (≈300+ spp.). Look-outs, embankment roads & a staffed info-centre, easy boat trips for pelicans/waterfowl, shorebirds; easy road access from Thessaloniki. Conservation & monitoring are long-standing (Ramsar/Natura 2000) and work of local scientists and good management team on the ground.  Best seasons: All year: winter (pelicans, waterfowl), spring (pelicans in breeding plumage, herons, breeding forest and countryside birds), late spring for breeding waterbirds, forest birds in nearby mountains; Autumn is very good as well (low water, shorebirds, migrants, flamigos, etc). But I think late spring is best (May-late June) and combined with forest birding on Mount Belles and Mount Krousia - it is fantastic. Easy access to Bulgaria and North Macedonia as well. Also, the site is close to other lesser hotspots (Lake Doirani, Central Rhodope). If you are from the Americas and want to go to one site, go to Kerkini.

5. Axios–Loudias–Aliakmonas Delta (near Thessaloniki)(Central Macedonia)

Why: This place is totally underated. Vast coastal complex with easy urban access, active management unit & information centre, routes for independent birders but no over-all development for birding. Its important to note that the area is next door to Thessaloniki, Greece's 'second capital city'. In fact parts of it are within the city limits: This includes the Dendropotamos Estuary (Ekvoli Dedropotamou) and the Loudias Estuary at Kalochori. These places are full of birds at all seasons.  Best seasons: all year; spring/autumn for shorebirds, herons, storks and migrants; winter for a varierty of raptors, flamingos & wildfowl. Facilities & access: Info Centre; signed routes; near-urban walking paths (e.g. Kalochori Lagoon). Note that from this place you can look across the bay to see the towering Mount Olympus - often snow-capped. Its less than 60 minutes away and offers good forest birding potential (among other attractions). 

6. Prespa Lakes National Park (Western Macedonia)

Why: Globally important Dalmatian Pelican colony; strong NGO-led conservation (SPP), visitor info hubs, trails & viewpoints; excellent documentation and monitoring and good community spirit supporting conservation (both at the national and municipality level). Both upland wild land and lake-side cultural landscapes. Note this is a really unique place globally, but a lot of it looks like upland areas in some other Balkan countries or even in parts of Asia. Best seasons: Mar–Oct for pelicans/waterfowl; winter for waterfowl. Migration season and especially spring for both migrants and breeders. Not so good as a winter destination (continental cold!). Facilities & access: Agios Germanos Info Center; multiple park info points- well developed and with a proud local nature-positive vibe. And still authentic.

7. Amvrakikos Gulf National Park (Epirus)

Why: One of the Mediterranean’s most productive semi-enclosed gulfs and the most extensive complex of lagoons, vast saltmarshes and mudflats in Greece (comprable in size to Messolonghi). Hosts Dalmatian Pelican colonies, Greater Flamingo flocks, varied herons, raptors and many other attractions (dolphins) but all is low key and poorly organized. Ramsar/Natura 2000 protection with NGO/park support but poorly managed, poor coordination on the ground; ramshackle conditions. However, it is a great place to explore (you need a guide - it is huge!).  Best seasons: Year-round interest; peak spring/autumn passage; winter for wildfowl, hugh flocks. Facilities & access: Visitor centres at Salaora and Strongyli no longer functioning; observation tower at Louros (overgrown road access). The area is easily reached from Preveza airport or Arta but the best place to stay is at Koronissia. The problem with this area is that it is plainly too vast. Access is difficult in some areas (roads overgrown with vegetation), and poorly signed or promoted. However, any Greek ornithologists will tell you this area is within Greece's top five birding-nature attractions. 

8. Messolonghi–Aitoliko Lagoons (Western Greece)

Why: This area is the southern half of Greece's most important wetland complex and probably the most birdy area in the south in general. It is huge. It is also a culturally and aesthetically amazing place. A Ramsar wetland with excellent, diverse birding (salinas, lagoons, mudflats; rock hills, canyon, woods, coasts and more). Active management unit, small visitor information centre, and some ecotourism promotion (low-key). Amazing and easy place to see good wildlife and have large day-lists (with spectacular species, incl. vultures, flamingos etc. all together). Combines well with nearby areas (big lakes, mountain forests, rivers, etc - Acheloos-Evinos uplands). Best seasons: spring & autumn for shorebirds/terns; winter for wildfowl and raptors. Facilities & access: Info Centre at Aitoliko; guided tours upon request or from Greece's top birding guides (based in Athens). Messolonghi is the closest big wetlnad experiance near Athens. 

9. Strofylia National Park (Peloponnese)

Why: Greece’s largest coastal umbrella pine forest adjoining lagoons, dunes and wetlands plus rock hills and beatiful oak-sage savannas. A wonderful landscape with good birds (~270 bird species recorded including flamingos, spoonbills, forest birds, raptors). Active management but big poaching probs; popular for low-key nature tourism. Best seasons: Autumn/winter for waterbirds; spring for migrants and breeding herons/terns. Too hot in summer and not that birdy then (nearby Messolonghi is perhaps better in Summer). Facilities & access: Network of tracks and watchpoints; visitor information at Kotychi–Strofylia Management Body; within 1.5 hours drive from Patras; also close to Athens.

10. Gialova Lagoon / Pylos (Peloponnese)

Why: Key stopover at the south end of the Balkans (~250+ spp.), good trail access near major tourism infrastructure (Pylos/Costa Navarino) and beautiful landscapes.  Best seasons: Apr–May & Sep–Oct migration; winter holds some ducks, flamingos, etc. Facilities & access: graded tracks, local accommodation/food options in Gialova/Pylos. Note that in the Peloponese we have only two wetland areas as important hotspots; this is unfortunate because a lot of other areas are poorly developed (not well organized/poor access/ poor conservation intiatives or plainly too small - of localized or regional interest). There is an important migration in the southern part of the peninsula at other points besides Gialova/Pylos - and perhaps the best and best studied place is the 'pelagic' island of Antikythira, due south of the southernmost three pronged peninsula. But I think Antikythira, and its world-famous bird observatory, are mostly for an ornithological trip, not general birding (that's why its not included here). 

11. Crete (island-wide; key wetlands, mountains & gorges)

Why: Greece’s southernmost major island is a migration crossroads, with raptors funnelling through its mountain ridges and numbers of passerines and waterbirds using wetlands as stopovers. Resident raptors include amazing populations of vultures and several rarities (both breeding and wintering). Key sites include Lake Agia near Chania (with a hide and info boards), artificial reservoirs, and gorges such as Samaria and the Asterousia mountains for raptors. Several species show distinctive Cretan forms (but there are no endemics), adding extra interest for birders. Best seasons: Spring (Apr–May) for mass migration and breeding raptors; autumn passage is also rewarding. Facilities & access: International airports at Heraklion and Chania provide easy access. Lake Agia has basic birding infrastructure; other sites are reachable by car with nearby accommodation options.

12. Lesvos (island-wide, esp. Kalloni Gulf wetlands and areas around this central location)

Why: First Lesvos is in Asia, not Europe. It is one of the big islands along the coast of Anatolia. It has famous spring migration (falls of passerines, shorebirds, bee-eaters, shrikes) and some local Anatolian specialties (cinereous bunting, Kruper's nuthatch and others); superb documentation (decades of trip reports) and an Environmental Information Centre at Kalloni and Natural History museum (Sigri). Best seasons: late Apr–May (spring peak); also autumn passage. Facilities & access: Kalloni Centre programs; dense network of drivable tracks and easy accommodation near hotspots. At least two good local guides regularly lead tours on the island. Hands-down, Lesbos is Greece's best destination for visitors from Western and Northern Europe (and may be good also for North Americans who have seen Central European habitats). Lesvos does not really compete with the wetlands of Northeastern Greece or the mountains of that area; both areas are big and special for birding and natural history. 

13. Schinias–Marathon National Park (Attica)

Why: Greece's capital’s most important birding wetland (>210 spp. recorded), ease of accessibility (45–60 min from central Athens); some trails and observation towers; strong seasonality but great for quick visits or wetland targets in season (i.e., needs to be a bit 'wet'; not a good place in prolonged droughts...). Best seasons: peak passage is spring, also for breeders but during drought years things can be underwelming. Winter is interesting if there are flood waters and colder conditions (cold snaps up north); autumn brings rarities. Facilities & access:some "marked paths' (Schinias Reservoir); easy public/private transport from Athens; however its best to have a vehicle since the area is rather big and there are no circuit trails; not easy to walk it on a hot day. Schinias-Marathon is close to some other areas in Attika, notably Mount Parnitha (spring forest birds, winter); Artemis Lagoon, Oropos Lagoon and even the wonderful Tritsis Park within Athens metro area (see map below showing the top 15 birding wetland sites near Athens). 

15 important wetland sites for birding in Attika (circled in red). Since Athens attracts a great number of international tourists, it would be in the economy's great interest to promote ecotourism in these sites. At this point in time only one of them has some kind of infrastructure (observation towers, etc), and that is Schinias-Marathon National Park. Some of them are threatened and extremely degraded. 

A typical itinerary for spring birding in Greece; as marketed by one international tour company (FieldGuides.com). My wife and I led this kind of tour back since the early 1990s for Canadian visitors and it was really a fantastic experience for all. The trip starts with a flight from Athens to Alexandroupolis and then you are led down to Athens.

Greeks promoting birding within the National Parks of Northern Greece at the UK Bird Fair in 2025. The NECCA our authority for conservation areas is doing its part in promotion of biodiversity and awareness. Below are some campaign posters. 

Schinias-Marathon National Park in Attika (very near Athens) makes a wonderful airphoto at certain angles and there has been some effort made to suppress wildfires and save the coastal pine wood at the beach. The fantastic aspect here is the amazing wetland behind the wood.

One of the most unGreek landscapes in Greece is the remarkable wetland complex of the Lakes Vistonis, Ismarida and Thracian lagoons, also part of a National Park. This incredible area is one of the top 5 places for birding but it is poorly developed relative to its potential. 

Greece has no endemic bird species but several are range-restricted specialties and rarities which are not seen easily in other parts of Europe. Rueppel's Warbler is one such bird distributed in the south and a few of th larger Aegean Islands.  

Birding in Greece in the 1980s

Photo published in the Hellenic Bird Ringing Center Bulletin No. 2 (2024), showing: Banding group on Lafri Hill (Porto Lagos, Thrace) in early September 1987: From Left to right: top: Martin Gaetlich, Vassilis Goutner, Johannes Foufopoulos, Charalambos Alivizatos, Photis Pergantis. Bottom (from left to right): Dimitris Xanthakis, Stamatis Zogaris.

Looking back...from November 2025

I became fascinated with natural history in Greece in the early 1980s. Part of the magic was the feeling that my friends and I were pioneering these pursuits. We felt really exploring and contributing... For me—just a teenager at the time—it was a focus on birds, on habitats ...all wrapped in a sense of discovery and wonder.

I can say just a few things here but of course, it was complex and political. And worthwhile.  

Some top issues that come to mind:

1) We were anti-hunters! Perhaps, that is because we were seeking to change society's outlook on wildlife and we considered it the ultimate cruelty to be killing birds (i.e. nature) in such "degraded", disorganized conditions. Protected areas did'nt work, no enforcement was evident anywhere. It was bad, in the sense of how bad it is today in some Middle Eastern countries (see Egypt, Lebennon and the like). 

2) The top NGO in 1984, when I joined, was the Hellenic Ornithological Society. There was a hierarchy, some top mentors we followed and learned from. For me these where: Ben Hallmann, Giorgos Handrinos, Phillipos Dragoumis,Triantafyllos Akriotis, Stratis Bourdakis, Alexis Vlamis, Photis Pergantis, Vassilis Hatzirvassanis, Aris Vidalis, Thodoros Kominos, Vassilis Goutner, Giorgos Catsadorakis, Martinos Gaetlich (among several others). The Hellenic Ornithological Society, was the major scientific club and a 'nest' for all these serious naturalist/activists.  

3) There was no ecotourism at the time in Greece, although a very few visitors did come to explore (and several foreigners laid the foundations). These people include natural history experts and academics plus some intrepid walkers/hikers who publicised the wilds of Greece. 

4) We did field trips; exploration trips. We inventoried and 'discovered' places.  

5) We had very little access to birding spot data or ornithological literature. 

6) The European Union helped a lot and brought a rapid transformation. However it also brought catastrophic change through land-use changes, agricultural subsidies that promoted certain cashcrops and agrochemical increases. Basically we lived the transformation of Modern Greece in the '80s.  

7) We were ecologists, active in conservation. In Greek the term naturalist (φυσιοδίφης) is not used widely, so basically our interest was wildlife and conservation and actively trying to participate. 

8) We were not amateurs, we were scientists and quasi-scientists and felt a professional connection to our 'work' and our cause. 

9) We argued a lot. Politics was difficult and personal.

10) There was pain, lots of pain. And very little progress in conservation. 

Some snapshots from the day, follow. 

A lot of our action in the '80s was educational and awareness-building, but it was really very low key. This is an exhibit in a town square in Athens (Zogarafou Neighbourhood), circa 1988. In the bottom left are two of the most important figures in Greek activisim at the time Georgia Tsakona (genearal secretary of the HOS for many years) and Philippos Dragoumis. Note that the photos show a lot of shot-dead birds, from the rampant poaching at the time. Photo (unpublished), copyright: Aris Vidalis.

We didn't have FB, but we had a monthy magazine focusing on political ecology, Nea Oikologia (and other local print-media as well); but this was national and available at many kiosks throughout Greece. Pictured on the late '80s volume (at Right) is Maria Ganoti - who spear-headed Wildlife rehabilitation in Greece and contributed immensly to the growing awareness of damage done due to shooting/poaching. This poster-girl photo is telling, and I think people like Maria really produced a cultural shift in Greece (...and she is still doing wildlife rehab...four decades later). 

One of Greece's success stories. At the time in 1985 we had no idea we could save it. Greece had only two Dalmatian Pelican colonies, this one, in the Amvrakikos numbered less than 30 pairs, all nesting on this strip of low islets in the Tsoukalio Lagoon. 

In 1985 we were based on this sand bar on the Tsoukalio Lagoon. We were witness to its total degradation by roadbuilding but could do nothing. 

This is the amazing camoflaged camper which was set up by HOS in 1985 to monitor and gaurd the Dalmatian Pelican colony. Tractor-excavator building the road next-door!

This is me, a photo taken by Aris Vidalis in the Spring of 1985. Note the excavator and construction vehicles working on building a road on the shell-beach sand bars of the lagoon!!! I mean, we as a team must have suffered PTSD seeing and living this absolute desicration of this pristine landscape. 

Chios Island: Mediterranean Stream Management and Wetlands

 

Late October 2025

Three day visit to the island of Chios. Last time I was here, in 1989, it was sleeping on beaches and sailing across to Turkey... 

Of course, Greece is huge! 

I mean there are so many nooks and corners to explore, some still unexplored, some very authentic. Even some islands, Chios is definately such a place. This time I went to Chios to look at wildfire damage and inspect an anti-flood engineering project (also involving some birding).

First thoughts - General introduction

Chios has lost some natural coastline to tourist sprawl (or second-home sprawl), and some of these are ofcourse on wetland areas, tiny torrent-stream river mouths and tiny marshes behind beach barriers. Wetland habitats have suffered from loss. Water was always gold here. 

However, much of the island, despite being a 'Greek Island experience' is still very well preserved (i.e., true rural villages and countryside intact, architectural integrity well-kept, wild-areas widespread in the uplands, etc).  The island has quite an abrupt relief; the nothern half being very mountainous and big (seems a lot like Crete in some places). Traditional goat grazing still exists (although in decline). The south is like southern Italy or Cyprus, well kept traditional agriculture and an interesting unique feature: Mastic Tree orchards!

Water on Chios

Chios is big and has mountains, it should have freshwater. 

The area of the island is 844 sq. km with a coastline of 227 km in length. It is the fifth largest island in size in Greece with a population of about 50,361 residents (as of the 2021 census). Half of the total population lives in the capital, Chios Town and there is a decline in the village resident population. So a lot of abandonment is evident.

The island of chios with its river basins and streams; in darker green areas that are 'major rivers' presuming near-perrenial /or long-term waters during hte year (but most stretches are intermittent). Most other river stretches are ephemeral. Source: Paidas, G. M. (2011). Water resources of the island of Chios: Current knowledge and proposals (Master’s thesis, National Technical University of Athens). National Technical University of Athens.

Komi Beach in south Chios. Now built-up. Real bad. The river creates flooding problems. What to do? (Photo from my flight over there on the 28th Oct. 2025).

Wildfire on Chios and the study area: Malagiotis River Valley near Volissos. 

Generally as landscapes become abandoned; wildfires be come mega-wildfires. 

Chios is no stranger to this.  

I inspected the Malagiotis river valley near Volissos village to check for an engineering project and its impacts. Some orientation follows. 

The northern part of Chios. The lower Malagiotis river is proposed to be engineered for anti-flood work (red area on west coast of island). 

69.089 stremmata (69 sq. km) were affected by the wildfire that broke out in northwestern Chios between August 12 and 15, 2025, according to theRapid Mapping service of the European environmental monitoring program Copernicus.

Volissos Village, where I was stayed. The view from my friend's house balcony. 

The Malagiotis bridge: Pre-1960 (above) and today (below). See map below.

The lower Malagiotis Stream (the bridge position is the same; see above photos): Pre-1960 (above) and today (below). Of course it will produce floods, it has been artificially narrowed down. About 1/3rd the natural width we estimated. 

One o the small tributaries of the Malagiotis, recent fire damage also affected oak groves.

A point upstream, on the Malagiotis, that has spring-water year-round. 

The tiny wetland, now a 'protected area' at the stram mouth of the Malagiotis.

For anyone interested read our report (in Greek):

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/397374229_Inspection_and_evaluation_of_the_flood_protection_study_for_Malagkiotiko_stream_Chios_following_the_August_2025_wildfire_in_Greek

Dams and reservoirs on Chios

Chios is missing wetlands, so what artificial waters exist; are obviously potentially important to wildlife. We inspected some of these.

Zifias Dam. A small artificial dam, there are other smaller ones in the area. The site does have fish (and cormorants). Much of the landscape around was burned by recent wildfires.

Katrari Dam, near Kalamoti Village in the south of the island. This is the island's largest wetland and most promising artificial wetland area for biodiversity. 

Armoloi pond, protected for Dragonflies(!!) at Armoloi Village. I guess the gentleman who promoted this, the late M.J. Taylor, an entomologist from Liverpool, really lives on in this cultural statement. A rare case in Greece, worthy of mention. 

Armoloi Pond. This is a sign at a small artificial pond at Armoloi Village; beside a brick-building factory, the pond was protected in order to promote and sustain dragonflies! The bilingual educational sign is very nice but getting old. I am wearing our new GPO 10X40 high definition binoculars and very grateful to be doing my job as professional naturalist. 

Finally what is really interesting about Chios its biogeographical position. 

Chios is actually an extention of Turkey's Urla‑Karaburun‑Çeşme Penisula (also known as the Izmir Peninsula; also in ancient times, thePeninsula of the Erythraeans; Chersonēsos tōn Erythraîon). As expected, due to the island proximity, it has strong faunistic and floristic links with Asia Minor/Anatolia. This is the major drawing card for naturalist visitors from...Athens (or any part of Europe for that matter). Its also a big island; Greece's 5th largest (Euboea and Crete of course are mega-islands for GR, the former being a continental quasi-island; so infact it is one of Greece's top mega-islands). And it feels big, just like being on Rhodes or Lesvos. Big means diverse and challanging to explore.

Above: The position of Chios at the end of the Urla‑Karaburun‑Çeşme Peninsula (also showing published eBird hotspots). Below the sites we visited in three days on the island (blue areas: eBird Personal Locations, red spot: eBird Hotspot; yellow line- general route taken). I want to thank all my friends on Chios for the hospitality. And also, the local authorities and government agencies who hosted us. 

Mindfulness in Nature

Mindfulness and birding

Birding has always been about noticing and recording birds in the landscapes they inhabit. It’s something that can happen anywhere: car parking lot, mountain trail, touristy beach, back-porch at home, etc. Watching birds is not just about naming or listing, it can also be a way of slowing down, of connecting with nature, of being present. Maybe it is sometimes a kind of "meditation on nature". By blending mindfulness techniques with birding, I’ve found that the experience can be restorative for mind and body.

Mindfulness is about being here in the moment—aware of what’s happening within us and around us—without judgment. When I bring this kind of attention to birding (....or "naturing" in general), something shifts. Also, birding (like hunting) provides many opportunities to "be still" and in ''total focus'' in nature. Sometimes you really need to spend a long time "waiting" (its not waiting, it can become a meditation). Patience, perserverance, detachement (perhaps a kind of ''zen state''). Really, when the sparks fly, you see something well or get totally lost in the observation...you do get into a zen state. Amazing how that happens.  

I was surprised to find such a thing as the Mindful Birding Network (hailing from North America, as many good thing do...).

So what I've been thinking on a lot, does actually exist. The Mindful Birding Network describes ''Mindful Birding as combining mindfulness techniques with bird observation...''. Personally, I often feel a sense of stillness and clarity when I practice time alone in nature, especially targetted observation or hunting-like excersize like birding. Research backs this up, pointing to improved focus, cognition, and wellbeing—but even without the studies, the benefits are something I feel in my own body and mind. And the "mindfulness" techniques (from simple breathwork, meditation, even soft chanting seem to help). Please don't see this as woo woo hippiness on my part (or not quite yet...). 

Sometimes, when mindful birding, identifying birds isn’t the main goal (or more correctly it is not a 'constant' goal; it ebbs and flows). Instead, one tries to let the birds (and the scene) guide him/her: to notice their movements, their calls, their presence—and to notice, too, how one responds, how one feels inside. Traditional birding skills are still important, of course. Identifying species, listening and keeping records remain invaluable for a birder. But I’ve learned that it can be just as meaningful to set aside the urge to name every bird and simply be in nature, with the birds. Listen to the birds. Simply be in nature (nature is everywhere; but particularly nature away from the urban).

In those moments - in nature - the practice becomes something more than birding. It becomes a conversation or a meditation or a ''connecting session''. I find myself reflecting on how I feel—physically, emotionally—as I walk, sit, search. As is snap pics with my digitals. The birds, in their freedom and wildness, remind me to slow down, to pay attention, and to connect. In this way, they become guides not just in the field of birding, but in life.

REFERENCES

And because this is a science blog, some notes and refs:

Association of Nature & Forest Therapy Guides (ANFT). https://www.anft.earth/

Dose of Nature. https://www.doseofnature.org.uk/

The Mindful Birding Network. https://www.themindfulbirdingnetwork.com/

Mark Bonta (2010) Ornithophilia: Thoughts on Geography in Birding, Geographical Review, 100:2, 139-151, DOI: 10.1111/j.1931-0846.2010.00018.x

Cox, D. T. C., Shanahan, D. F., Hudson, H. L., Fuller, R. A., Anderson, K., Hancock, S., & Gaston, K. J. (2017). Doses of neighborhood nature: The benefits for mental health of living with nature. BioScience, 67(2), 147–155. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biw173

Cox, D. T. C., Plummer, K. E., Shanahan, D. F., Siriwardena, G. M., Fuller, R. A., & Gaston, K. J. (2018). The health benefits of watching nature: birds and wellbeing. BioScience, 68(7), 474–485. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy043

Hammoud, R., Heisz, J. J., & Paolucci, N. (2023). Birdwatching and well-being: A cross-sectional study of recreational birders. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 87, 101997. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.101997

Luck, G. W., Davidson, P., Boxall, D., & Smallbone, L. (2011). Relations between urban bird and plant communities and human well-being and connection to nature. Conservation Biology, 25(4), 816–826. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2011.01685.x

Nilsson, M., & Berglund, B. (2006). Soundscape quality in suburban green areas and city parks. Acta Acustica United with Acustica, 92(6), 903-911.

Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Ratcliffe, E., Gatersleben, B., & Sowden, P. (2013). Bird sounds and their contributions to perceived attention restoration and stress recovery. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 36, 221–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.08.004

Tryjanowski, P., Morelli, F., Mikula, P., Krištín, A., Indykiewicz, P., Grzywaczewski, G., ... & Goławski, A. (2022). The allure of birdwatching: Therapeutic benefits and research opportunities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(21), 13850. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113850

(And thanks to Donna Riner who inspired this blog post and where I got a lot of resources for it. See:https://www.amosbutleraudubon.org/2024/05/28/mindful-bird-watching-blending-observation-with-intentional-sensory-awareness/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

XX - All photos in this post - found on the internet; appologies for not citing details. 
 

In To See Every Bird on the Earth Dan Koeppel asks, “Why does obsession exist? Is it to fill our empty spaces? Does it work?” His answer: “Birds show us what nature is. Not just physically, but as an idea. As something we love, something we value (Bonta 2010).

BONUS

I leave you with some words from some students of nature and life, who have been so inspired by the birds...

“How I Go to the Woods”

Ordinarily, I go to the woods alone, with not a single friend, for they are all smilers and talkers and therefore unsuitable. I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my way of praying, as you no doubt have yours. Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible. I can sit on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds, until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can hear the almost un-hearable sound of the roses singing. If you have ever gone to the woods with me, I must love you very much.

~ Mary Oliver

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Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work, which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.

~ Mary Oliver

Mary Jane Oliver (September 10, 1935 – January 17, 2019) -American poet (Pulitzer Prize 1984; National Book Award 1992).

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The sheer ubiquity of birds makes them almost unavoidable. Birds are the always-present possibility of an awakening to the natural world that too many people have not yet experienced.

~Corey Finger

Corey Finger -co-owner of 10,000 Birds, the world’s most popular birding blog.

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"What motivates my life? What is the most important element in it? What brings the most enduring happiness? I know myself from this angle, and the answers are inordinately simple, for I am convinced that nature, in all it's aspects and my relationship to it, is and always has been my guiding light."

~ Sigurd Olsen 

Sigurd Ferdinand Olson (April 4, 1899 – January 13, 1982) - American writer and environmentalist.


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“A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”

~ Maya Angelou

Marguerite Annie Johnson (April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) - American writer, dancer and civil activist. Angelou was the name she kept/as stage name at first; from her marriage with a Greek-American.

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I would like to paint the way a bird sings.

~ Claude Monet (November 14, 1840 - December 5, 1926) - French Painter.

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“The sound of birds stops the noise in my mind”

~ Carly Simon

Carly Simon (b. June 25, 1943) - American musician, singer, songwriter, author.

 

Can fish migration barriers "restore" themselves?

From a visit to Euboea's Manikiatis River - Autumn 2025

In the summer of 2022, I inspected the Manikiatis River on Euboea, home of the Evian Barbel—an endemic fish found only on Euboea island, in Central Greece. I have written about this river on this blog before.

What is most remarkable is that back in the summer of 2022 (see the photo above), there was a significant barrier at the bridge immediately next to the village of Manikia. In the autumn of 2025, the story was very different. The two photos above are from the exact same location (hard to believe, I know). On the left are my colleagues in June 2022 beside a waterfall that we assessed as impassable for barbels—the only fish inhabiting this upland stretch of the river. On the right is the condition in October 2025. Trust me: it’s the same place, and now there is no real barrier to the fish anymore! The plunge pool is gone.

So what happened, and is this common?

First, what happened was a storm—a very big one. It moved a huge amount of rock. Storm Daniel, also known as Cyclone Daniel, was an erratic but catastrophic Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone, and the deadliest recorded in the region. It struck Central Greece on September 4th, 2023. Two years later, the stream is almost unrecognizable.

And what about the fish? Back in the summer of 2022, barbels were much more common below the bridge. Very few were found above it, and the ramp under the bridge of Manika functioned as barrier,  a complete block to movement in this small mountain stream. (You might even have considered investing money to fix the problem—it’s a threatened species, severely impacted by anthropogenic barriers such as this one.) This autumn, the barrier was gone. Barbels were present both above and below the former barrier, although overall population density was much lower than in 2022, and very few large individuals were found. Still, the fish survived the storm.

Long live the Evian Barbel (Barbus euboicus)!

Photos from 2022 follow. 

 

Costa Rica in the summer of 2025

Long live the Protected Areas of Costa Rica! 

Costa Rica in August 2025 - Preamble

Over the last four decades, Costa Rica has earned a reputation as a leader in biodiversity-based tourism and, more broadly, as a leader in a culture of environmental awareness. As students of conservation we are interested in studying this. 

In 2021 we used our Costa Rican research experience to published a paper on the landscape quality as assessed by a field survey protocol and index we have developed. Please see this:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359690368_Landscape_Conservation_Assessment_in_the_Latin_American_Tropics_Application_and_Insights_from_Costa_Rica

In August 2025 we went back to study more and to take a much needed vacation, also visiting our good friends there.

These are some environmental notes we record from this trip:

Landscape change due to tourism/real esteate development.

On the coasts, at the most wonderful landscapes, often near protected areas... 'progress' often means real estate development. We saw this near Cahuita and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean and near Jaco, Punta Uvita and elsewhere on the Pacific coast. Many thousands of old trees recently toppled, land-cleared, woodlots vanishing, new roads bulldozed; land ready for building. What is not in protected areas is ready to sell-off. In such places a "build-baby-build" mentality seems to be growing. The changes are apparent in the last few years. Ok its not easy to see all the buildings among the greenery; the natural regrowth happening everywhere easily covers the many villas and subdivisions spreading. And fortunately, this sprawl is still localized, but things seem to be changing fast in many places. We even saw a new multi-storied building on a hill top "polluting" the visual landscape on the road from Jaco to Tarcoles (this building punctures the horizon for many kms away). Scattered buildings is a real problem, definately a trend. 

As we mentioned in our 2021 paper, much of this rapid building-up for tourism/real estate is 'screened-off' by vegetation re-growth and is not as apparant at the visual landscape scale (as say, in the drier areas such as Southern California or Greece).  

Inadequate protection of the wider landscape outside protected/corridor areas. 

Of course its so hard to do. And no nation really commands full control of the wider landscape, the problem is endemic in such beatiful countries, e.g. here in Greece. There are many many exceptional initiatives (corridors etc) in CR and these have saved so much natural land. However, the brutal truth is that what is outside of protected areas is often the most threatened part of the landscape. And that means, there is much is at stake. CR is very small, so saving just 25% of the land in PRs is not enough. Coto Brus (southwest CR) was especially interesting for me; rapid landscape change has taken place very recnetly (since the early '60s) and La Amistad Protected Area creates a strait-line park-ranch country boundary. It is stark! Cattle may be again increasing, that means more degraded steep-sloping grassland, bigger grassland patches - often on very steep eroding slopes (we witnessed this and the experts we talked to agree on this). Erosion and tree-cutting continues. "Newly domesticated landscapes" is the phrase here.We saw a lot of this on our wider wonderings in this region during a six day stay at Coto Brus.

Potential poaching problem. 

We saw very very few large mammals. We saw deer only once (and that case only near some rice fields (near Parita). Howler monkeys are scarce or absent in some areas (i.e., San Vito in Coto Brus) and no signs of much else, even in tracks. We saw few road kills. So I think (and I have been told) it must be poaching. 

Possible decline of tourists during green season '25. 

Tourist numbers have fallen in CR for various reasons (in the last two years). We visited in the rainy season, but in contrast to other times, we felt rather alone. This may cause problems with incentives for park protection or espeically protection of the wider landscape based on the tourism incentives. 

Forest regrowth.  

Trees grow fast in the moist tropics of CR. I could not believe what I learned and saw at Coto Brus, at my friend's initiative on their land. Trees planted just 2 decades ago were soaring high and full of birds. This is a fascinating thing and could work wonders if organized well. I am sure there are pleanty of regeneration initiatives. But saving old trees and old tree stands should still be the priority. Saving old wood lots even in rapidly expanding tourist areas such as the Caribbean is key. Note that unlike the Mediterranean and the drier areas of North America and Mexico, most biodiversity here is in-forest. The overwhelming biodiversity is related to old forest. Find it and you will see the wonders. 

Positive attitudes. 

Ticos are wonderful poeple and we met plenty of them again on this trip. Genuine hospitality, good discussions, trust, care, nature-appreciation almost everywhere. Its true what they say: A place is only as good as the people in it! 

Other General points: Costa Rica has problems with enforcement gaps, greenwashing and other difficultines related to genuine action for protecting landscapes and some coastal areas in particular are seriously threatened. On paper: there is a strong environmental framework.  About 60% of land cover is forest, and 25% of land is protected; trees have come back. In practice: Enforcement is weak in tourist regions (coastal areas) and outside protected areas (even just outside the borders of many parks). Developers burn land illegally, expand into agricultural and natural areas, and tourism markets projects as “eco-villages” or “green luxury estates”. On a localized scale, tourism is destroying biodiversity and landscape values, places are becoming uglier. NGOs call this “eco-luxury greenwashing”. 

Costa Rica’s global reputation as an eco-paradise makes it vulnerable to greenwashing — investors assume “if it’s in Costa Rica, it must be sustainable.” Despite Costa Rica's remarkable success with protected areas, forestland come-back and a general wider sentiment for protecting and promoting biodiversity, much more needs to be done! The story is complex and requires careful initiatives. 

Some take-aways from our third trip to Costa Rica - and a promotion: YOU should visit CR! 

Our vacation was an 18-day trip, birding and relaxing time, also visiting with friends there. Slow briding and near-constant eBird listing was the method of the day (see results below). 

I highly encourage naturalists to visit CR. I believe the visits and communication with the locals about their biodiversity does good. CR is geared into promoting biodiversity. (One could imagine that this is analogous with Greece's efforts and committments to protect, restore and organize Archeological Sites). There is no doubt in my mind that in CR we are seeing a lot of genuine conservation on the ground and a lot of really wonderful effort by institutions and local people (including private ventures, both NGOs, small community groups and the tourism industry as well). So it is a good system, despite the flaws, the shortcommings, the 'wider landscape issue' (i.e. saving areas outside of protected areas), etc. 

So I urge you to go.

Some maybe helpful things to remember if you plan to visit Costa Rica. 

Plan for rain every day. Sometimes it’s just showers for a couple of hours, sometimes it’s cataclysmic. I got into the local habit of wearing botas (short wellies, lightweight). Bonus: they may help if you get too close to a snake (I once had a nighttime Fer-de-lance encounter!).

Stay inland for the best birding conditions: While we spent time on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, I especially loved the mid- to high-altitude zones (above ~700 m). The climate there is clearer, mornings are gorgeous, and you can bird comfortably all day. On the lowlands, after 9:00 am it gets torrid—though Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is saved by a refreshing sea breeze. On the Pacific side, I also discovered my favorite beach: Playa Piñuela (near Uvita).

Hire a trained nature guide. At La Selva (where a guide is mandatory), I did an early morning/two-hour dawn walk in pouring rain...Fashlight, laser pointer, scope, all in action. It was fantastic and made a huge difference in finding my bird targets.

Book a good hotel for arrival and departure. After ~15 hours of flights from SE Europe, we really needed rest and also wanted immediate and...last-minute birding. The Xandari Hotel (above Alajuela) is perfect for naturalists.

Expensive? Yes compared to other contries in Central America. Can it be done on the cheap? Yes, I think so and especially in the green season (Northern Hemisphere Summer). You need to plan more and get the info and make careful decisions. Its very possible. For birding, I would go with others, not alone. For transport, bargain hard at the local rent-a-car dealers. We paid 58 dollars per day with good insurance coverage (this is extremely cheap for North America). I highly recommend Vamos as a good rent-a-car agency. (And yes I did receive a rebate because I am a frequent costumer). 

Drive less. Roads in Costa Rica are narrow, traffic is worse than expected, and rain/flooding makes things trickier. We tried to minimize driving but still ended up doing ~1500 km (plus some extra with friends). We also saw a few bad accidents. If possible, plan to cover less ground.

And now some maps of our 2024 nature travel in Costa Rica:

Our 18-day sojourn in CR in late July and August of 2025. Encircled are the areas we stayed in and the dates. We briefly entered Panama at Lago Rio Sereno. 

My eBird recording results from our 2025 trip. Note that ours was a 'slow birding' experience among other interests. Details from our Trip Report as systematized by the eBird platform.  See: https://ebird.org/tripreport/400741

My Costa Rica bird list now stands at 301 species...I feel quirky, finally one happy world birder! 

In 2025 I contributed 68 checklists to eBird on this trip and tallied 217 species (also many photographed with a cheap super-zoom camera-see below). You should know that filming and photography in dark wet rainforest conditions is tricky to say the least. However, using the video option can help ID the birds back at the hotel room....Also, at least 4 spp were varified by good-willing local birder friends of mine from Costa Rica - from video screen shots and photos. 

And now some snap-shots follow (all photos in this post by S. Zogaris and V. Vlami):

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean. 

Wild ones, near a grocery stall (man feeds them lettuce and fruits), PV de Talamanca. 

And some people shots...

The beach from our favorite hotel at Punta Cocles on the Caribbean.

El Gato is the Birding Professor of Costa Rica. Happy to visit him at Casa Dowii in the Talamancas. He showed us a couple of lifer birds here. 

Of course I asked if the San Joachin Wetland in San Vito is protected...answer: Of course it is protected! It is charished and delinated. Locals were so nice to let us in their property, also partly planted with respect for nature. A really good feeling in San Vito.

Tour of the Coffea Diversa near of the Buenos Aires canton.

Entomological exhibit at San Vito.

I really want to thank Greg and Helena Homer of the San Vito Bird Club for showing us such a wonderful day and discussing conservation and so many wonderful things with us. Wonderful gringos like these make the difference! 

La Amistad International Park, it rained all day!

This beach near Uvita is of course in a word-class protected area. However the lands around the park are being built-up. Its pictures like this that bring a lot of us to Costa Rica. The amazing thing is the totally different world of the Pacific. It is especially beatiful here. 

A very accessible and wonderfull forest park is Carara. ...But it is a furnace near midday, worth it! 

This is the Xandari Hotel just north of Alajuela on the foothills of Poas Vocano, and partially overlooking the outskirts of San Jose. It is only 20 mins from the Airport and is very birdy. I highly recommend this place for first and last day stays before flying away.

My results at Carara! Merlin Bird ID app on the Left. I used Merlin a lot for searching out the bird sounds (but rarely for playback). On several occasions the App gave wrong sound identification suggestions (even giving me House Fince and American Robin suggestions in the Talamancas...). Be careful. 

Finally, some instruction on the value of digital super-zoom cameras for birding in the tropics. I do not prioritize photography. I use binocs. But I also use a Canon PowerShot SX70 HS Digital Camera like this one. This is what I call a ''cheep super-zoom digital''. It costs about EUR 800 and is very light and small. It not for professional photography but I prefer to have this along with a good pair o binocs/scope than labour with a bigger camera, special expensive lenses etc. Highly recommended. 

Its different being there. The picture is just a small part. Our photo of wild birds using the above camera from Trarcoles Birding Lodge.