For most species of bird, Crete is a crossing point. Answering the question as to how many bird species live on Crete is no easy matter. Summer visitors, winter visitors, regulars or chance callers, some common and others rare that have appeared and colonized the island earlier or recently, all make for a complex picture that renders counting difficult.

Nonetheless, there are also species with a closer relationship to Crete. They are the ones that nest and reproduce on the island, genuinely making up “indigenous” bird fauna. How many are there? 87 species which regularly build their nests here have been found and counted. To these, we should add 16 more, which only occasionally come to nest. 103 species in total. Is that number accurate? Here opinions are divided. The species just mentioned, only comprise those directly observed as having nests with chicks in them, or clear indications they really do nest on Crete, including courtship displays or the gathering of materials for nest building. But the main core of Cretan avifauna consists of the island's 58 permanent inhabitants. They live, court, mate, build their nests and raise their young on Crete, without ever leaving.

Winters are mild on Crete and food for birds is plentiful, that's why several species especially raptors overwinter here, such as the Golden Eagle. Some even build their spring nest on the island. Crete seems to have been made for them. Vertical limestone crags and gorges with hollows dug out by water and wind offer ideal nesting conditions, while the treeless expanses of phrygana are excellent hunting grounds for birds of prey.

Photo: Golden Eagle

Source: Natural History Museum of Crete