CHUKAR PARTRIDGE (Alectoris chukar subspecies A. c. cypriotes) Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece

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The Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) or more commonly called Chukar is in the pheasant family Phasianidae which is in the genus Alectoris. It has a widespread distribution which stretches in a wide band from south eastern Europe to eastern China. There are many subspecies recognised including Alectoris chukar cypriotes which occurs on the islands of Crete, Rhodes, Cyprus as well as in parts of Bulgaria and Syria.This gamebird has been widely introduced, for hunting purposes, in many countries including the USA and New Zealand where feral populations have become established.

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / rawbirds.com

RED FOOTED FALCON [Male] (Falco vespertinusi) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) is a small bird of prey in the family falconidae which is in the genus falco. It's breeding range extends from Eastern Europe eastward to Central Asia. In the autumn it migrates south to spend the winter in Southern Africa and in April/May the following year returns to its breeding grounds. Its scientific species name, vespertinus, is Latin for ‘of the evening’ and probably refers to the time of the day when it can be seen hunting.

Text reference: http://www.arkive.org/red-footed-falcon/falco-vespertinus/

RED FOOTED FALCON [Female] (Falco vespertinusi) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) is a small bird of prey in the family falconidae which is in the genus falco. It breeding range extends from Eastern Europe eastward to Central Asia. In the autumn it migrates south to spend the winter in Southern Africa and in April/May the following year returns to its breeding grounds. Its scientific name, vespertinus, is Latin for ‘of the evening’ and may refer to the time of the day when it can be seen hunting.

Text reference: http://www.arkive.org/red-footed-falcon/falco-vespertinus/

LESSER KESTREL [Female] (Falco naumanni) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a small migratory bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco. It is a summer resident which occurs across a narrow band that stretches from the Iberian Peninsula eastwards as far as Mongolia and north western China. This colonial breeder has a patchy distribution in southern Europe.
It arrives back from its wintering areas in sub Saharan Africa and Pakistan during April and early May. In addition, there are small non migratory populations mainly in southwest Spain and northwest Africa. Prey items include small birds, invertebrates, reptiles, mice, shrews and voles. It remains in the breeding areas until late August and early September when the return migration south begins. 
 Where their ranges overlaps, it can be easily confused with the closely related Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) especially the females as they are very similar in appearance. The European population is in serious decline probably as a result of overuse of pesticides and rodenticides.

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

LESSER KESTREL [Male] (Falco naumanni) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a small migratory bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco. It is a summer resident which occurs across a narrow band that stretches from the Iberian Peninsula eastwards as far as Mongolia and north western China. This colonial breeder has a patchy distribution in southern Europe.
It arrives back from its wintering areas in sub Saharan Africa and Pakistan during April and early May. In addition, there are small non migratory populations mainly in southwest Spain and northwest Africa. Prey items include small birds, invertebrates, reptiles, mice, shrews and voles. It remains in the breeding areas until late August and early September when the return migration south begins. 
 Where their ranges overlaps, it can be easily confused with the closely related Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) especially the females as they are very similar in appearance. The European population is in serious decline probably as a result of overuse of pesticides and rodenticides.

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

RED AND BLACK SOLDIER BEETLE (Trichodes creticus) feeding on COMMON BRIGHTEYES (Reichardia picroides subspecies R. p. galatsida) Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece

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The Red and Black Soldier Beetle (Trichodes creticus) is a species of soldier beetle or checkered beetle of the family Cleridae which is in the genus Trichodes. It is endemic to the Greek island of Crete. It relies on its warning coloration to deter predators. The larvae are parasites of bees and wasps. On Crete, there are a number of very similar beetles but the dark line along the inner edges of the elytra that join the black patches on the back readily identifies this species. The adults prey on small invertebrates and are also commonly found feeding on the pollen of a variety of flowers, including Common Brighteyes (Reichardia picroides subspecies R. p. galatsida), from April to August.

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

(EASTERN) SUBALPINE WARBLER (Sylvia cantillans subspecies S. c. albistriata) Moni Gouvernetou Monastery, Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece

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The Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia cantillans) is a migratory passerine in the family Sylviidae which is in the genus Sylvia. It breed in Northwest Africa, Southern Europe and Western Turkey. It feeds on small invertebrates as well as soft fruits. In the autumn, it migrates south to spend the winter in sub Saharan Africa. 
There are four subspecies which are divided into two groups: 

•  The Western Subalpine Warbler includes both S. c. inornata which breeds in northwest Africa and S. c. iberiae which breeds on the Iberian Peninsula, in southeastern France and northwest Italy.

• The Eastern Subalpine Warbler includes both S. c. cantillans which breeds in the southern half of Italy and S. c. albistriata which breeds in the Western Balkans, Greece (including the island of Crete) and Western Turkey. 

 The Moltoni's Warbler (Sylvia subalpina) which breeds in Mallorca, Corsica, Sardinia and parts of northern Italy is a closely related species that was previously treated as a fifth subspecies S. c. moltonii. In northern Italy there is zone of intergradation between Moltoni's Warbler and Eastern Subalpine Warbler. 

Text © rawbirds.com 

Map of the breeding ranges of all five former taxa of the Subalpine Warbler complex. The grey zone in the north of Italy is of the intergradation between subalpina and cantillans. The points are locations with proven cases of sympatry. The map constructed by Lars Svensson from Shirihai et al (2001), Brambilla et al (2006), and comments from M. Ullman (© Lars Svensson).

Source:
Svensson, L. (2013a): A taxonomic revision of the Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 133: 240-248.
Svensson, L. (2013b): Subalpine Warbler variation and taxonomy. British Birds106: 651-668.

COLLARED FLYCATCHER (Female) (Ficedula albicollis) Moni Gouvernetou, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) is an Old World flycatcher in the family Muscicapidae. It is a summer resident in central/eastern Europe and south western Asia. This species occurs in well-established deciduous woodland as well as parks and gardens where old woodpecker nesting holes are readily used. In late April/May, it returns from its wintering areas in southern Africa. Main prey items include caterpillars and small flying invertebrates. By September with its food supply in decline, the return migration south begins.
  
 Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

LESSER KESTREL [First summer male on left and female] (Falco naumanni) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a small migratory bird of prey of the family Falconidae which is in the genus Falco. It is a summer resident which occurs across a narrow band that stretches from the Iberian Peninsula eastwards as far as Mongolia and north western China. This colonial breeder has a patchy distribution in southern Europe.
It arrives back from its wintering areas in sub Saharan Africa and Pakistan during April and early May. In addition, there are small non migratory populations mainly in southwest Spain and northwest Africa. Prey items include small birds, invertebrates, reptiles, mice, shrews and voles. It remains in the breeding areas until late August and early September when the return migration south begins. 
 Where their ranges overlaps, it can be easily confused with the closely related Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) especially the females as they are very similar in appearance. The European population is in serious decline probably as a result of overuse of pesticides and rodenticides.

Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY or LARGE CABAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris brassicae) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Large White Butterfly (Pieris brassicae) or Large Cabbage White Butterfly is of the family Pieridae which is in the genus Pieris. It occurs very commonly through out Eurasia and North Africa as well as an introduced species in South Africa. Although larger, it can be confused with the Small White Butterfly (Pieris rapae) which has a much reduced black edge to the upper forewing.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

WOODCHAT SHRIKE (Male) (Lanius senator) Katholiko Monastory, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) is a medium sized migratory perching bird in the family Laniidae and is one of 31 species of shrike  found worldwide. It is a summer resident in southern Europe, the Middle East and north western Africa which spends the winter in sub Saharan Africa.
  
Reference: Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

CRETAN WALL LIZARD (Podarcis cretensis) Moni Ioannou Erimitou Gkouvernetou, Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Cretan Wall Lizard (Podarcis cretensis) is endemic to the Greek island of Crete and its satellite islets. It is one of 14 species of amphibian/reptile (three frogs, one toad, three geckos, one skink, two lizards and four snakes) found there. It is confined to the western half of the island but can be locally common. It is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is protected under Appendix II of Bern and Annex IV of the EU Habitats Directive. The prefer habitats include rocky outcrops, dry river beds and stone walls. A wide variety of arthropods, small invertebrates and snails are preyed upon. The Balkan Green Lizard (Lacerta trilineata) is the other species of lizard that occurs less commonly on the island. 

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EUROPEAN SERIN (Serinus serinus) Moni Katholikou (Agiou Ioanni Erimiti), Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The European Serin (Serinus serinus) or simply called Serin, is a small seed eating passerine in the finch family Fringillidae. Its preferred habits include open deciduous woodland and parkland where the territory defending males sing from the treetops. It occurs throughout Europe as well around the Mediterranean Basin. The northern population is migratory and winters in the southern parts of its range. It is absent as a breeding species from Britain, Ireland, Iceland and Scandinavia.  
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CHUKAR PARTRIDGE (Alectoris chukar subspecies A. c. cypriotes) Moni Katholikou (Agiou Ioanni Erimiti), Akrotiri, Crete, Greece

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The Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) or more commonly called Chukar is in the pheasant family Phasianidae which is in the genus Alectoris. It has a widespread distribution which stretches in a wide band from south eastern Europe to eastern China. There are many subspecies recognised including Alectoris chukar cypriotes which occurs on the islands of Crete, Rhodes, Cyprus as well as in parts of Bulgaria and Syria.This gamebird has been widely introduced, for hunting purposes, in many countries including (western) USA and New Zealand where feral populations have become established.
Text © www.rawbirds.com