The most contemporary and up-to-date Identification Guide for the birds of Greece, Cyprus, Europe and the regions around the Mediterranean has just been released by the Hellenic Ornithological Society. It includes information regarding the size, the habitat, the distribution, the appearance and the voice of around 1.000 species through maps and 3.500 pictures! Essentially, it is a sort of a ‘’birds encyclopedia’’ suitable for every professional of the field, student, bird observer or just outdoorsy!
This particular guide is a Greek adaptation of the English 2nd edition ‘’Collins Bird Guide’’, Harper Collins Publications. It is a product of a long, collective effort based on the aid of many voluntary members of the Hellenic Ornithological Society and the BirdLife Cyprus, after the first edition, which was sold out.
The publication of an identification guide in our national language has proved to be worldwide one of the most effective means for the promotion of knowledge and the environmental awareness of each group of organisms. This particular guide along with a pair of binoculars and a notebook are all somebody needs to identify all the wild birds they may encounter in Greece, Cyprus or wherever in Europe and other regions around the Mediterranean.
Useful advice for new bird observers
If you are new bird observers and you use the Guide for your first time, you should initially get acquainted with the concept of the size of species. It would be useful to have possibly one common species as a reference point, based on which you could compare it to the rest so as to practice identifying them. A second point that should be taken into consideration is the general effect of the species or any discreet feature of it that might help the observer identify it. Moreover, the season of the year holds a crucial role (spring, autumn etc), as well as the observation place (wetland, urban-rural landscape, littoral frontline etc) and the broader area (Greece, Europe etc).
All the above, in combination with the experience that arises from revision and a will for learning, contribute to the identification of more and more species. Finally, it is significant that the practice through the aid of the members and the volunteers of the Ornithological Society facilitates the faster acquisition of the particular knowledge!
Whoever is interested can immediately obtain the Guide from the facilities of the Ornithological Society in Athens (Themistokleous 80), in Antonis Tritsis Park (Spirou Moustakli, Ilion Attica) and in Thessaloniki (Komninon 23), or order it by telephone on +30 210 8228704 (Monday-Friday, operation hours 9-5) or send an e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to ship by post.
The Guide will shortly be available on selected bookshops, too.