CYPRUS ENDEMIC BIRD SPECIES
Cyprus is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is the third largest and most populous Mediterranean island. It is located S of Turkey, W of Syria and Lebanon, NW of Israel and Palestine, N of Egypt and SE of Greece.
Cyprus or Republic of Cyprus is an important tourist destination in the Mediterranean. This large island measures 240 kilometres long and 100 kilometres wide.
The island is dominated by the Troodos Mountains and the smaller Kyrenia Range, with a central plain, the Mesaoria, drained by the Pedieos River, the largest river of the island. The highest point is Mount Olympus (1,952 metres) located in the centre of Troodos Mountains, whereas the highest point of Kyrenia Range reaches up to 1,024 metres of elevation.
Cyprus has a subtropical climate with very mild winters on the coasts, and warm to hot summers. Numerous dams remain the main source of water, and water desalination plants have been built to deal with prolonged droughts in recent years.
The Cyprus wildlife has rich flora and diverse fauna but with few mammals. The natural habitats are disappearing with currently only 20% of the original habitat, due to urbanization, commercial usage of forests, tourism and human disturbance.
The Cyprus avifauna includes between 370 and 400 bird species according to the authors. The island is placed on migration routes between Africa, Europe and W Asia.
Only two endemic species of songbirds breed on the island and migrate S after breeding, the Cyprus Warbler (Sylvia melanothorax) and the Cyprus Wheatear (Oenanthe cypriaca).
But numerous other species can be seen during their migration, such as the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) and the Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae).
About 53 bird species are permanent residents, while the others are migratory, and most of them are usual visitors in a beautiful variety of suitable habitats for numerous animal species.
Text by Nicole Bouglouan
Sources text:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Endemic bird species:
Cyprus Warbler - Sylvia melanothorax - Fauvette de Chypre
Cyprus Wheatear - Oenanthe cypriaca – Traquet de Chypre
Resident and/or breeding species or on passage:
Sources : Avibase (Lepage Denis
Alpine Swift - Tachymarptis melba - Martinet à ventre blanc
Amur Falcon – Falco amurensis – Faucon de l’amour
Arctic Loon or Black-throated Diver - Gavia arctica - Plongeon arctique
Arctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea – Sterne arctique
Baird’s Sandpiper - Calidris bairdii - Bécasseau de Baird
Barn Owl – Tyto alba – Effraie des clochers
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica - Hirondelle rustique
Bar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica - Barge rousse
Bateleur – Terathopius ecaudatus – Bateleur des savanes
Bearded Vulture - Gypaetus barbatus - Gypaète barbu
Blackcap – Sylvia atricapilla – Fauvette à tête noire
Black-crowned Night Heron – Nycticorax nycticorax – Bihoreau gris
Black-eared Wheatear - Oenanthe hispanica - Traquet oreillard
Black Francolin - Francolinus francolinus - Francolin noir
Black-headed Gull – Chroicocephalus ridibundus – Mouette rieuse
Black Kite – Milvus migrans – Milan noir
Black-legged Kittiwake - Rissa tridactyla - Mouette tridactyle
Black Redstart – Phoenicurus ochruros – Rouge-queue noir
Black Stork – Ciconia nigra – Cigogne noire
Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa - Barge à queue noire
Black Tern - Chlidonias niger - Guifette noire
Black-winged Kite - Elanus caeruleus - Elanion blanc
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus - Echasse blanche
Blue-cheeked Bee-Eater – Merops persicus – Guêpier de Perse
Blue Rock Thrush – Monticola solitarius – Monticole bleu
Bluethroat - Luscinia svecica - Gorgebleue à miroir
Bohemian Waxwing - Bombycilla garrulous - Jaseur boréal
Bonelli’s Eagle - Aquila fasciata - Aigle de Bonelli
Booted Eagle - Hieraaetus pennatus – Aigle botté
Brambling - Fringilla montifringilla - Pinson du Nord
Brant Goose - Branta bernicla - Bernache cravant
Broad-billed Sandpiper - Limicola falcinellus - Bécasseau falcinelle
Brown Fish-Owl - Ketupa zeylonensis - Kétoupa brun
Calandra Lark - Melanocorypha calandra - Alouette calandre
Cetti’s Warbler - Cettia cetti - Bouscarle de Cetti
Citrine Wagtail - Motacilla citreola – Bergeronnette citrine
Common Blackbird - Turdus merula - Merle noir
Common Chaffinch – Fringilla coelebs – Pinson des arbres
Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita - Pouillot véloce
Common Coot - Fulica atra - Foulque macroule
Common Crane – Grus grus – Grue cendrée
Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - Coucou gris
Common Firecrest - Regulus ignicapilla - Roitelet triple bandeau
Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula – Garrot à œil d’or
Common Greenshank - Tringa nebularia - Chevalier aboyeur
Common House Martin - Delichon urbicum - Hirondelle de fenêtre
Common Kestrel – Falco tinnunculus – Faucon crècerelle
Common Kingfisher – Alcedo atthis – Martin-pêcheur d’Europe
Common Linnet - Linaria cannabina - Linotte mélodieuse
Common Moorhen – Gallinula chloropus - Gallinule poule d’eau
Common Nightingale - Luscinia megarhynchos - Rossignol philomèle
Common Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus - Faisan de Colchide
Common Raven – Corvus corax - Grand corbeau
Common Redpoll - Acanthis flammea - Sizerin flammé
Common Redshank - Tringa totanus - Chevalier gambette
Common Redstart - Phoenicurus phoenicurus - Rougequeue à front blanc
Common Reed Bunting - Emberiza schoeniclus - Bruant des roseaux
Common Ringed Plover - Charadrius hiaticula - Pluvier grand-gravelot
Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos - Chevalier guignette
Common Scoter - Melanitta nigra - Macreuse noire
Common Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna - Tadorne de Belon
Common Snipe – Gallinago gallinago - Bécassine des marais
Common Starling - Sturnus vulgaris - Etourneau sansonnet
Common Swift - Apus apus - Martinet noir
Common Tern - Sterna hirundo - Sterne pierregarin
Common Whitethroat - Sylvia communis - Fauvette grisette
Common Wood Pigeon - Columba palumbus - Pigeon ramier
Corn Bunting - Emberiza calandra - Bruant proyer
Corncrake - Crex crex - Râle des genêts
Cream-coloured Courser – Cursorius cursor – Courvite isabelle
Curlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea - Bécasseau cocorli
Demoiselle Crane - Grus virgo - Grue demoiselle
Dunlin - Calidris alpina - Bécasseau variable
Dunnock – Prunella modularis – Accenteur mouchet
Eastern Imperial Eagle - Aquila heliaca - Aigle impérial
Egyptian Goose – Alopochen aegyptiacus – Ouette d’Egypte
Egyptian Vulture – Neophron percnopterus – Vautour percnoptère
Eleonora’s Falcon - Falco eleonorae - Faucon d’Eléonore
Eurasian Bittern – Botaurus stellaris – Butor étoilé
Eurasian Bullfinch - Pyrrhula pyrrhula - Bouvreuil pivoine
Eurasian Buzzard - Buteo buteo - Buse variable
Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto – Tourterelle turque
Eurasian Curlew - Numenius arquata - Courlis cendré
Eurasian Dotterel - Charadrius morinellus - Pluvier guignard
Eurasian Golden Oriole - Oriolus oriolus - Loriot d’Europe
Eurasian Griffon Vulture – Gyps fulvus – Vautour fauve
Eurasian Hobby - Falco subbuteo - Faucon hobereau
Eurasian or Western Jackdaw - Corvus (Coloeus) monedula - Choucas des tours
Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius - Geai des chênes
Eurasian Magpie - Pica pica - Pie bavarde
Eurasian Oystercatcher – Haematopus ostralegus – Huitrier pie
Eurasian Scops Owl - Otus scops - Petit-duc scops
Eurasian Siskin – Spinus spinus – Tarin des aulnes
Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus - Epervier d’Europe
Eurasian Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia - Spatule blanche
Eurasian Teal - Anas crecca - Sarcelle d’hiver
Eurasian Wigeon - Anas penelope - Canard siffleur
Eurasian Woodcock - Scolopax rusticola - Bécasse des bois
Eurasian Wren – Troglodytes troglodytes – Troglodyte mignon
Eurasian Wryneck – Jynx torquilla – Torcol fourmilier
European Bee-eater - Merops apiaster - Guêpier d’Europe
European Golden Plover - Pluvialis apricaria - Pluvier doré
European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis - Chardonneret élégant
European Greenfinch – Chloris chloris – Verdier d’Europe
European Honey Buzzard – Pernis apivorus - Bondrée apivore
European Nightjar - Caprimulgus europaeus - Engoulevent d’Europe
European Pied Flycatcher - Ficedula hypoleuca - Gobemouche noir
European Robin - Erhitacus rubecula - Rouge-gorge familier
European Serin - Serinus serinus - Serin cini
European Shag – Phalacrocorax aristotelis – Cormoran huppé
European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola - Tarier pâtre
European Storm-petrel – Hydrobates pelagicus – Océanite tempête
European Turtle-Dove - Streptopelia turtur - Tourterelle des bois
Fieldfare - Turdus pilaris - Grive litorne
Franklin’s Gull - Leucophaeus pipixcan - Mouette de Franklin
Gadwall - Anas strepera - Canard chipeau
Garden Warbler - Sylvia borin - Fauvette des jardins
Garganey - Anas querquedula - Sarcelle d’été
Goldcrest – Regulus regulus - Roitelet huppé
Golden Eagle - Aquila chrysaetos - Aigle royal
Goosander - Mergus merganser - Harle bièvre
Great Black-backed Gull – Larus marinus – Goéland marin
Great Cormorant – Phalacrocorax carbo – Grand cormorant
Great-crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus - Grèbe huppé
Greater Flamingo - Phoenicopterus roseus - Flamant rose
Greater Scaup - Aythya marila - Fuligule milouinan
Greater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons - Oie rieuse
Great Tit – Parus major – Mésange charbonnière
Green-backed Heron – Butorides striatus – Héron strié
Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus - Chevalier culblanc
Great Bustard - Otis tarda - Outarde barbue
Great Snipe - Gallinago media - Bécassine double
Great Spotted Cuckoo - Clamator glandarius - Coucou geai
Grey Heron – Ardea cinerea – Grey Heron
Greylag Goose - Anser anser - Oie cendrée
Grey Partridge - Perdix perdix - Perdrix grise
Grey Plover - Pluvialis squatarola - Pluvier argenté
Hawfinch – Coccothraustes coccothraustes – Grosbec casse-noyaux
Hen Harrier – Circus cyaneus cyaneus – Busard St Martin
Herring Gull – Larus argentatus – Goéland argenté
Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix - Corneille mantelée
Hoopoe - Upupa epops - Huppe fasciée
Horned Lark - Eremophila alpestris – Alouette hausse-col
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus - Moineau domestique
Jack Snipe - Lymnocryptes minimus - Bécassine sourde
Laughing Dove - Streptopelia senegalensis - Tourterelle maillée
Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus fuscus – Goéland brun
Lesser Kestrel - Falco naumanni - Faucon crécerellette
Lesser White-fronted Goose - Anser erythropus – Oie naine
Little Bunting - Emberiza pusilla - Bruant nain
Little Bustard - Tetrax tetrax - Outarde canepetière
Little Egret – Egretta garzetta – Aigrette garzette
Little Gull - Hydrocoloeus minutus - Mouette pygmée
Little Owl - Athene noctua - Chevêche d’Athéna
Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius - Petit gravelot
Little Stint - Calidris minuta - Bécasseau minute
Little Tern - Sternula albifrons - Sterne naine
Long-eared Owl – Asio otus - Hibou moyen-duc
Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos – Canard colvert
Marbled Duck or Teal - Marmaronetta angustirostris - Sarcelle marbrée
Marsh Sandpiper - Tringa stagnatilis - Chevalier stagnatile
Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis - Pipit farlouse
Merlin - Falco columbarius - Faucon émerillon
Mew Gull or Common Gull - Larus canus - Goéland cendré
Monk Vulture (Cinereous) – Aegypius monachus – Vautour moine
Montagu’s Harrier - Circus pygargus - Busard cendré
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor - Cygne tuberculé
Namaqua Dove - Oena capensis - Tourterelle masquée
Northern Gannet - Morus bassanus - Fou de Bassan
Northern Goshawk - Accipiter gentilis - Autour des palombes
Northern Lapwing – Vanellus vanellus - Vanneau huppé
Northern Pintail - Anas acuta - Canard pilet
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata - Canard souchet
Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe - Traquet motteux
Osprey – Pandion Haliaetus – Balbuzard pêcheur
Pacific Golden Plover - Pluvialis fulva - Pluvier fauve
Parasitic Jaeger or Arctic Skua - Stercorarius parasiticus - Labbe parasite
Pectoral Sandpiper - Calidris melanotos - Bécasseau tacheté
Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus - Faucon pèlerin
Pied Avocet - Recurvirostra avosetta - Avocette élégante
Pied Kingfisher – Ceryle rudis – Alcyon pie
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse - Pterocles alchata - Ganga cata
Pomarine Skua or Jaeger - Stercorarius pomarinus - Labbe pomarin
Purple Heron – Ardea purpurea – Héron pourpré
Red-breasted Flycatcher - Ficedula parva - Gobemouche nain
Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator - Harle huppé
Red Crossbill - Loxia curvirostra - Bec-croisé des sapins
Red-footed Falcon - Falco vespertinus - Faucon kobez
Red Kite - Milvus milvus - Milan royal
Red Knot - Calidris canutus - Bécasseau maubèche
Red-necked Grebe - Podiceps grisegena - Grèbe jougris
Red-necked Phalarope - Phalaropus lobatus - Phalarope à bec étroit
Red Phalarope - Phalaropus fulicarius - Phalarope à bec large
Red-rumped Swallow - Cecropis daurica - Hirondelle rousseline
Red-throated Pipit - Anthus cervinus - Pipit à gorge rousse
Redwing - Turdus iliacus - Grive mauvis
Richard’s Pipit - Anthus richardi – Pipit de Richard
Ring Ouzel - Turdus torquatus - Merle à plastron
River Warbler (or Eurasian RW)- Locustella fluviatilis - Locustelle fluviatile
Rock Sparrow - Petronia petronia - Moineau soulcie
Rosy Starling - Sturnus roseus - Etourneau roselin
Rough-legged Buzzard - Buteo lagopus - Buse pattue
Ruddy Shelduck - Tadorna ferruginea - Tadorne casarca
Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres - Tournepierre à collier
Ruff - Philomachus pugnax - Combattant varié
Sanderling – Calidris alba - Bécasseau sanderling
Sand Martin - Riparia riparia - Hirondelle de rivage
Sandwich Tern - Thalasseus sandvicensis - Sterne caugek
Sedge Warbler - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus - Phragmite des joncs
Short-eared Owl - Asio flammeus - Hibou des marais
Short-toed Snake-Eagle - Circaetus gallicus - Circaète Jean le Blanc
Sky Lark – Alauda arvensis – Alouette des champs
Spanish Sparrow - Passer hispaniolensis - Moineau espagnol
Sociable Lapwing – Vanellus gregarius – Vanneau sociable
Songthrush - Turdus philomelos - Grive musicienne
Spotted Flycatcher - Muscicapa striata - Gobemouche gris
Spotted Redshank - Tringa erythropus - Chevalier arlequin
Squacco Heron - Ardeola ralloides - Crabier chevelu
Tawny Owl - Strix aluco - Chouette hulotte
Tawny Pipit - Anthus campestris - Pipit rousseline
Temminck’s Stint - Calidris temminckii - Bécasseau de Temminck
Terek Sandpiper - Xenus cinereus - Chevalier bargette
Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialis - Pipit des arbres
Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula - Fuligule morillon
Tundra Swan - Cygnus columbianus - Cygne de la toundra
Wallcreeper – Tichodroma muraria - Tichodrome échelette
Water Rail - Rallus aquaticus - Râle d’eau
Western Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis - Héron garde-bœufs
Western Great Egret - Egretta alba - Grande aigrette
Western Marsh-Harrier - Circus aeruginosus - Busard des roseaux
Western Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava - Bergeronnette printanière
Whimbrel – Numenius phaeopus – Courlis corlieu
Whinchat - Saxicola rubetra - Tarier des prés
White Stork – Ciconia ciconia – Cigogne blanche
White-tailed Sea-Eagle – Haliaeetus albicilla – Pygargue à queue blanche
White-throated Dipper – Cinclus cinclus – Cincle plongeur
White Wagtail - Motacilla alba - Bergeronnette grise
Whooper Swan – Cygnus Cygnus – Cygne chanteur
Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus - Pouillot fitis
Woodlark - Lullula arborea - Alouette lulu
Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola - Chevalier sylvain
Yellow-browed Warbler - Phylloscopus inornatus - Pouillot à grands sourcils
Yellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella - Bruant jaune
Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis - Goéland leucophée
Zitting Cisticola - Cisticola juncidis - Cisticole des joncs
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