The birds of the archaeological sites of the Acropolis area (Athens, Greece)

Abstract

Abstract The primary objective of the present study is to highlight the avifauna present in the archaeological sites surrounding the Acropolis, while emphasizing the importance of these areas as vital wildlife habitats in the historical centre of Athens, the largest city in Greece. This objective extends to raising awareness and prompting immediate action by government agencies to initiate sustainable management practices for the archaeological sites. The present research centred on recording the avifauna of the archaeological sites of the Acropolis for the first time. During the period of 2000–2023, 145 bird species in total were recorded in the study area. Of these, 53 species (36.5%) are passage migrants (PM), 11 species (7.5%) are summer visitors (SV), 27 species (18.6%) live permanently in the area (R), 35 species (24.1%) are winter visitors (WV), and 18 species (12.4%) are occasional visitors (OV). Given these findings, the study area appears to be an important stopover for birds during their migration, as well as an important place for a large number of birds to find shelter within the centre of Athens. These characteristics set the archaeological sites of the Acropolis apart from world cultural heritage monuments and world natural heritage monuments.