Cyprus

Afghanistan  – Armenia  – Azerbaijan  – Bahrain  – Cyprus  – Egypt  – Georgia  – Iran  – Iraq  – Israel  – Jordan  – Kazakhstan  – Kuwait  – Kyrgyzstan  – Lebanon  – Oman  – Qatar  – Saudi Arabia  – South West Russia  – Syria  – Tajikistan  – Türkiye  – Turkmenistan  – United Arab Emirates  – Uzbekistan  – Yemen 

Capital: Nicosia

Area: 9,251 km²

BirdLife International partner: BirdLife Cyprus

Total number of bird species: 409 (as at December 2022)

Globally threatened bird species: 8 

Country endemics: 4 endemic species, 2 endemic subspecies

Important bird and biodiversity areas: 34 IBAs with a total area of 3,100 km²

Rare birds committee: Cyprus Rare Birds Committee, PO Box 24382, 1703 Nicosia, Cyprus. A list of species requiring documentation can be found in recent editions of the Cyprus Bird Report or via email from the Committee Chair: janestycy@yahoo.co.uk.

Specialities:

Endemic species – Cyprus Scops Owl, Cyprus Coal Tit, Cyprus Warbler, Cyprus Wheatear

Endemic subspecies – Cyprus Jay Garrulus glandarius glaszneri, Dorothy’s Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla dorotheae

Along with the endemics listed above, Cyprus is an excellent country to see a number of regional specialties including Black Francolin, Bonelli’s Eagle, Demoiselle Crane, Spur-winged Lapwing, Greater Sand Plover, Audouin’s Gull, Armenian Gull, Eleonora’s Falcon, Masked Shrike, Bimaculated Lark, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Rüppell’s Warbler, Wallcreeper, Common Rock Thrush, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Desert Wheatear, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Finsch’s Wheatear, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Black-headed Bunting.

Ornithological interest:

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and, although a member of the European Union, geographically it lies in the Middle East, sitting some 40 miles south of the Turkish coast and 65 miles west of Syria. Most of the avifauna of Cyprus is of Western Palearctic origin and, of the island’s species list of 409, 57 are breeding residents. The remainder are summer or winter visitors, passage migrants or accidental visitors. Cyprus is therefore a perfect place to enjoy bird migration. Because of its geographical location, Cyprus is one of the few ‘European’ countries where Bateleur, White-eyed Gull, White-throated Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Diederik Cuckoo, Arabian Lark, Dunn’s Lark, Bar-tailed Lark, African Desert Warbler, Ménétriés’s Warbler, Mountain Chiffchaff, Hypocolius, Brown-necked Raven, Mourning Wheatear, Desert Finch and Asian Crimson-winged Finch have been recorded. The four breeding endemics are relatively easy to find. Cyprus Warbler is present throughout year although some do leave the island in winter, while Cyprus Wheatear is a fairly ubiquitous summer visitor, present between late March and October. Cyprus Scops Owl occurs widely in the foothills and lightly-wooded areas throughout the island. This owl is in full voice between March and June. The upland pine forests are home to breeding Cyprus Coal Tit, Dorothy’s Short-toed Treecreeper and Cyprus Jay. All of these can be found quite easily in the Troodos, Paphos and Machairas forests.

Best times to visit:

Spring (March to May) and autumn (August to early November) migration periods can be especially productive, while a number of key species can be found in winter. Rarities occur regularly. 

Essential reading: 

Flint P & Richardson C (in press) The Birds of Cyprus (third edition), British Ornithologists’ Club, UK.

Richardson C & Porter R (2020) Birds of Cyprus, Christopher Helm.

Stylianou J (2022) Birdwatching in Cyprus: Where to go and what to look out for, BirdLife Cyprus.

The Cyprus Bird Report (published annually by BirdLife Cyprus) is an excellent source of information.

Trip report links:

Compilers: 

Colin Richardson and Jane Stylianou