Trends in current ornithology in Greece

Although the ancient Greeks have left us the earliest known written texts on the study of birds, ornithology in modern Greece is a relatively recent scientific discipline. A few Greeks and many foreign ornithologists, and in particular the Germans, contributed to the development of ornithology in our country during the 19(th) and 20(th) Centuries. The period following the decade of the 1980s however, seems to have been the most fruitful for this scientific domain in Greece. This review examines the interests of current ornithology in Greece and identifies any gaps in ornithological research. Surveys and biological studies with a conservational orientation were the main subjects for most of the 692 publications that appeared during the period 1980-2005. The majority of these works were published in international scientific journals, while the number of doctoral or other dissertations and papers on conference proceedings has constantly been increasing. Bird species of conservation interest such as Falco eleonorae, Pelecanus crispus, Egretta garzetta and Alectoris graeca were among the most studied. The majority of studies were carried out in wetlands, especially those of northern Greece, since waterbirds seem to be the most attractive bird group to ornithologists. Only in certain locations are mountainous and forested areas well studied, i.e. Crete and, Dadia. Although ornithology in Greece has made a big step forward during the last 26 years, there are still many unexplored fields. The challenge for future research must be directed towards filling the gaps in our knowledge on certain bird species and their habitats, organizing our efforts in order to predict avian responses to environmental pressure, and being prepared to deal with any changes that may occur in nature at large, both in Greece and worldwide.