Fauna of Nisyros 

The geographical location of Nisyros combined with the volcano and the particular vegetation of the island, explain the presence of the Μοnachus – monachus seal on the shores of the island, as well as its rich avifauna.

SCIENTIFIC NAMECOMMON NAMELOCAL NAMEPHOTO
CALONECTRIS DIOMEDIAScopoli’s ShearwaterCory’s Shearwater ARTEMISKEFOS  
PUFFINUS YELKOUANYelkouan ShearwaterMYCHOS   
PHALACROCORAX CARBOGreat Cormorant CORMORANTKALIKATSOU 
PHALACROCORAX ARISTOTELISEuropean ShagCommon/Green Cormorant THALASSOKORAKASKALIKATSOU  
ARDEOLA RALLOIDESCommon Squacco HeronKRIPTOTSIKNIAS  
ARDEA CINAREAGrey HeronSTAXTOTSIKNIAS  
EGRETTA GARZETTALittle EgretLEYKATSIKNIAS  
ARDEA CICONIAEuropean White StorkSTORKDOUPLO 
CIRCUS (FALCO)AERUGINOSUSEuropean Marsh-HarrierKALAMOKIRKOS  
BUTEO(FALCO) RUFINUSLonglegged BuzzardLONG-LEGGED BUZZARDPERDIKOFAS  
HIERAAETUS (AQUILA)FASCIATUSBonelli’s EagleBONELLI’ S EAGLEVITSILAS  
CIRCAETUS(FALCO) GALLICUSShort-toed Snake Eagle SNAKE EAGLEPERDIKOLOS 
FALCO TINNUNCULUSEurasian KestrelKESTRELAEROGAMIS 
FALCO ELEONORAEEleonora’s FalconBLACK PEREGRINEAEROGAMIS 
FALCO PEREGRINUSNorth European Peregrine FalconPEREGRINEGERAKI (FALCON)  
ALECTORIS (PERDIX) CHUKARChukar PartridgeISLAND FRANCOLINPERDIKA  
ICHTHYAETUS(LARUS) AUDOUINIIAudouini’s GullAEGEAN GULLGLAROS (GULL)  
LARUS FUSCUSLesser Black-backed GullBLACK GULLGLARONI 
LARUS ARGENTATUSEuropean Herring GullSILVER GULLGLAROS (GULL) 
COLUMBA LIVIARock Dove PigeonWILD DOVEWILD DOVE 
STREPTOPELIA TURTUREurasian Turtle DoveTURTLE DOVETURTLE DOVE (TRYGONI) 
COLUMBA PALUMBUSEuropean Wood-PigeonWOODPIGEONWOODPIGEON (FASSA) 
STREPTOPELIA DECAOCTOEurasian Collared Turtle DoveCOLLARED DOVECOLLARED DOVE (DEKAOHTOURA) 
CUCULUS CANORUSGrey Eurasian CuckooCUCKOOCUCKOO (KOUKOS) 
OTUS (STRIX) SCOPSEurasian Scops-OwlSCOPS OWLKLOUPI 
ACTITIS (TRINGA) HYPOLEUCOSEurasian SandpiperSandpiper, POTAMOTRYNGAS 
ATHENE NOCTUANorthern Little Owl LITTLE OWLOWL (KOYKOUVAYA) 
APUS(HIRUNDO) APUSEurasian Common SwiftSWIFT STACHTARAHELIDONI MEGALO 
APUS PALLIDUS(MURINUS)Pale Brown SwiftPALE SWIFT OCHROSTACHTARAHELIDONI MEGALO 
APUS (HIRUNDO)MELBAWhite-bellied SwiftALPINE SWIFT VOUNOSTACHTARAHELIDONI MEGALO 
MEROPS APIASTEREurasian (Golden)Bee-eaterEUROPEAN BEE EATEREUROPEAN BEE EATER (MELISSOFAGOS)  
CORACIAS GARRULUSEuropean (Blue)RollerBLUE ROLLER
CHALKOCOUROUNA
KARAKAXA 
UPUPA EPOPSEurasian Common HoopoeHOOPOEHOOPOE (TSALAPETEINOS) 
CALANDRELLA (CINEREA)
(ALAUDA)BRACHYDACTYLA
Greater Short-Toed Lark
GREATER LARK
MIKROGALIANTRA
GALIANTRA 
RIPARIA (HIRUNDO)RIPARIAEuropean Collared Sand MartinSAND SWALLOW
OCHTHOHELIDONO
SWALLOW (HELIDONI) 
HIRUNDO RUSTICA(ERYTHROGASTER) European Chimney SwallowBARN SWALLOWSWALLOW (HELIDONI) 
CECROPIS (HIRUNDO) DAURICAGolden-Rumped SwallowTREE SWALLOWSWALLOW (HELIDONI) 
DELICHON (HIRUNDO) URBICAEuropean House MartinDOMESTIC SWALLOWSWALLOW (HELIDONI) 
ALAUDA (ANTHUS) TRIVIALISEurasian Tree PipitTREE PIPIT
DENTROKELADA
  
ALAUDA (ANTHUS) PRATENSIS Eurasian Meadow PipitMEADOW PIPIT
LIVADOKELADA
  
MOTACILLA FLAVAWestern Yellow WagtailYELLOW CAPE WAGTAILSOUSOURADA 
MOTACILLA ALBA(LUGUBRIS)European White WagtailWHITE CAPE WAGTAILSOUSOURADA 
TROGLODYTES (MOTACILLA) TROGLODYTESEurasian WrenWREN
TRYPOFRACHTIS
  
ERITHACUS(MOTACILLA) RUBECULAEuropean RobinROBINROBIN (KOKKINOLAIMIS) 
PRUNELLA(MOTACILLA) MODULARISEuropean Dunnock HEDGESPARROW
THAMNOPSALTIS
  
SAXICOLA (MOTACILLA) RUBERTRAEuropean WhinchatWHINCHAT  
OENANTHE(MOTACILLA) OENANTHEEurasian Common WheatearWHEATEAR
STACHTOPETROKLIS
  
OENANTHE (MOTACILLA) HISPANICAWestern Black-eared WheatearBLACKEARED WHEATEAR
ASPROKOLA
  
OENANTHE(SAXICOLA)ISABELLINAIsabelline WheatearIsabelline Chat
AMMOPETROKLIS
  
TURDUS (MONTICOLA) SOLITARIUSBlue Rock Thrush BLUE-ROCK THRUSHKOTSIFI 
TURDUS MERULAEurasian Common BlackbirdBLACKBIRDKOTSIFI 
TURDUS PHILOMELOSEuropean Common Song ThrushSONG THRUSHKICHLA 
SYLVIA (MOTACILLA) CANTILLANSEastern or Western Subalpine WarblerWARBLER
KOKKINOTSIROVAKOS
  
SYLVIA (MOTACILLA) MELANOCEPHALASardinian WarblerSARDINIAN WARBLER
MAVROTSIROVAKOS
  
SYLVIA RUEPPELLIRueppell’s WarblerRUPPELL WARBLER
MOUSTAKOTSIROVAKOS
  
SYLVIA HORTENSIS (BORIN)Garden WarblerGARDEN WARBLER
DENTROTSIROVAKOS
  
SYLVIA COMMUNISEuropean Common Greater WhitethroatGREATER WHITETHROAT
THAMNOTSIROVAKOS
  
SYLVIA (MOTACILLA) ATRICAPILLAEuropean Blackcap WarblerISLAND BLACK CAP  
SYLVIA (PHYLLOSCOPUS) COLLYBITAEuropean Brown Leaf-WarblerCHIFF CHAFF
DENTROPHYLLOSCOPOS
KITRINOPOULAKI 
PHYLLOSCOPUS (MOTACILLA) TROCHILUSEuropean Willow WarblerWILLOW WARBLER
THAMNOPHYLLOSCOPOS
KITRINOPOULAKI 
SYLVIA (REGULUS) IGNICAPILLAEurasian Common FirecrestFIRECREST
VASILISKOS
  
MUSCICAPA (MOTACILLA) STRIATAEuropean Spotted FlycatcherFLYCATCHER
MYGOHAFTIS
  
PARUS CAERULEUSEuropean
Common Blue Tit
BLUE TIT
GALAZOPAPADITSA
  
ORIOLUS (CORACIAS) ORIOLUSEurasian Golden-OrioleGOLDEN ORIOLEKITRINOPOYLI 
LANIUS COLLURIOCommon Redbacked ShrikeRED – BACKED SHRIKE  
LANIUS SENATORWoodchat ShrikeWOODCHAT
KOKKINOKEFALAS
   
CORVUS (GARRULUS) GLANDARIUSEurasian Common Acorn JayJAYJAY (KISSA) 
CORVUS (COLEUS) MONEDULAEurasian Common JackdawJACKDAW (CROW)JACKDAW (KARGIA) 
CORVUS CORONEWest European Carrion CrowCARRION CROWCARRION CROW (KOUROUNA) 
CORVUS CORAXCommon RavenRAVEN (CROW)CROW (KORAKAS) 
PASSER (FRINGILLA) DOMESTICUSEuropean Common House SparrowHOUSE SPARROWSPOURGITI (SPARROW) 
FRINGILLA COELEBSEuropean Common ChaffinchCHAFFINCHCHAFFINCH 
CARDUELIS CHLORISEuropean Common GreenfinchGREENFINCHFLORI 
CARDUELIS (FRINGILLA) CARDUELISEurasian GoldfinchGOLDFINCH
RED SISKIN
RED SISKIN (KARDERINA) 
*CARPODACUS ERITHRINUS*
RHODOSPIZA (FRINGILLA) OBSOLETUS
Black-Billed Desert FinchDESERTFINCH
RODOSPIZA
  
COCCOTHRAUSTES COCCOTHRAUSTESShort-Tailed HawfinchHAWFINCH
HONDROMYTIS
  
EMBERIZA (GLYCISPINA) CAESIABlue-Headed Ortolan BuntingBLUE HEADED ORTOLAN BUNTING  
EMBERIZA (GRANATIVORA) MELANOCEPHALABlack-Headed BuntingBLACK HEADED BUNTING
AMPELOURGOS
  
EMBERIZA (GLYCISPINA) HORTULANAOrtolan BuntingORTOLAN BUNTING  
STRIX ALUCOEurasian Tawny Wood OwlTAWNY OWL
HOUHOURISTIS
MEGALI KOUKOUVAYA 
CHARADRIUS (ANARHYNCHUS) ALEXANDRINUSEurasian Kentish PloverSNOWY PLOVER  
GRUS (ARDEA) GRUSEuropean Common CraneCRANE  
TURDUS (MONTICOLA) SAXATILISEuropean Common CraneROCK THRUSHKOTSIFI 
ALCEDO (GRACULA) ATTHISEuropean KingfisherKINGFISHERKINGFISHER (ALKYONI) 
PHOENICURUS (MOTACILLA) OCHRUROSBlack RedstartBLACK REDSTARTKOKKINOKOLOS 
ΤΥΤΟ (STRIX) ALBAWestern Common Barn Owl BARN OWLASPRI KOUKOUVAYA 
AQUILA HELIACAEastern Imperial EagleIMPERIAL EAGLEVITSILAS 

WHERE MAIN AVIFAUNA SPECIES ARE LIKELY TO BE OBSERVED

Common NamePrimary area of expansionNo. of Photograph
Bonelli’ s eagleSiones, Emporeio, Lyes
Long-legged buzzardPaliokastro, Evangelistra, Mandraki, G
Black peregrineN, G, S ,P,Pe 
ThalassokorakasSW Coast Ν ,G
Aegean gullP, Pe
MychosN ,G ,P,Pe
ArtemisP, Pe
ChalkocourounaPaliokastro, Evangelistra, Lyes, Argos 
Blue-rock thrushSiones, Lyes 
Island francolinSiones, Paliokastro, Evangelistra, Lakki, Lyes
Kingfisher (Alkyoni)Coast: Ν ,G 
PeregrineSiones, Ag. Eirini   
KokkinokefalasLakki, Paloi
Common barn-owlMandraki 
European bee eaterPaloi, Evangelistra
ΤσαλαπετεινÏŒςΝ , G 

VIII. REPTILES

According to research carried out to date, reptile species in Nisyros are as follows:

LIZARDS

Of the above mentioned species, only the cat snake is venomous, however rear-fanged and therefore unable to harm humans. It uses venom to anaesthetize its prey as it is swallowed.

Scientific NameCommon NameLocal Name
ΑGAMA STELIO‘LITTLE CROCODILE’KOURKOUTAVLOS
OPHISOPS ELEGANSOPHISOPSOPHISOPS
LACERTA OERTZENIRHODES LIZARDRHODES LIZARD
CHALKIDES OCEIIATUSLIAKONILIAKONI

SNAKES

Scientific NameCommon NameLocal Name
COLUBER JUGULARISLARGE WHIP- SNAKE OF RHODESLARGE WHIP- SNAKE OF RHODES
BALKAN RACERBALKAN RACERΔΕΝΤΡΟΓΑΛΙΑ
TELESCOPUS FALLAXEUROPEAN CAT SNAKEEUROPEAN CAT SNAKE

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