Birding Athens National Garden: a city oasis

Birding Athens National Garden: a city oasis for any visitor birder

Birding in Athens National Garden, right at the heart of the city behind Syntagma Square, can be exciting if you are hanging around downtown. Avifauna is thriving in the dense foliage, nesting, feeding or just being hidden inside the numerous plants.

The main entrance of the National Gardens of Athens

Many species of birds enjoy the dense foliage of the park, including breeding Robins and Blue Tits (the latter not being found nesting anywhere else in Athens!).

Among the regular European species, two newcomers have already established breeding colonies; Ring-necked Parakeet and Monk Parakeet. Both species have managed to find both food and nest sites and they have become very common sights in just a few years!

Monk Parakeets collect twigs for their nests

Ring-necked Parakeets are fond of the fruits
at Athens National Garden

Athens National Garden has a very lush vegetation, consisting of centuries-old trees and bushes. Therefore, avifauna is thriving in the dense foliage, nesting, feeding or just being hidden inside the numerous plants.

Sardinian Warblers breed in Athens National Garden

Great Tits are moving restlessly at
 Athens National Garden, Syntagma Square

Other species that breed in the gardens and can bee seen all year long include Scops Owl, Short-toed Treecreeper, Blackbird, Serin, Goldfinch, Greenfinch. Overwintering birds are also numerous: Grey Wagtail, Redwing, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Hawfinch, Siskin. Several species arrive in spring and breed during the summer, such as Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Hoopoe, while soaring Alpine Swifts could be seen all summer long.
Birding Athens National Garden during migration can be surprisingly productive, with Nightingale, Cuckoo,  flycatchers, Golden Oriole, Wryneck

Spyros Skareas
Bird Guide and Certified Tour Leader
Athens, GREECE