About "Birding on the Greek Island of Lesvos"

by Richard Brooks

ISBN: 0 9527249 2 8

A fully revised version (March 2002) - now 256 pages (including 24 pages of colour plates, 14 page section of all new site maps and colour map of island, together with full colour cover both sides and 26 line drawings and a wealth of new site and species information).
Updated sections on Cinereous Bunting and Kruper's Nuthatch status, the island's mammals, reptiles, amphibians and commonest butterflies, the summary of 4 years ringing totals from Haramida Marsh, and a brand new section on the birding year month by month. Three years on from the first Birding In Lesbos the wealth of new site and species information now available gave the impetus to compiling what aims to be the definitive guide to this magical and increasingly popular island.

Now Available Updated 2002 Edition with revised maps and species information.

See resources page for pricing information.

Book Reviews

Bird Watching - February 1999

Richard Brooks has probably done more than anyone else to further the cause of birding on that jewel of a Greek island - Lesvos (or Lesbos, depending on how you transliterate the Greek). Small wonder then that he has also written the definitive book.
Just about everything you are likely to want to know to make your trip perfect has been included, from handy words and phrases, travellers' tips, notes on timing your visit, descriptions of the main birding areas, wonderfully annotated maps, checklists including mammals, reptiles and butterflies plus, of course, the island's birds - a total of 320 species. There are also 77 colour photographs of some of the key birds and habitats.
There is little left to say about a self-recommending title. No-one should visit the island without a copy. It's really that indispensable.

Birding World - Februrary 1999

This is essentially an up-date of the author's 1995 Birding in Lesbos ... Richard Brooks is an undoubted authority on birding this Greek isle and has almost single-handedly brought its considerable ornithological riches to birders' attention. An introductory section of helpful and background information (24 pages) is followed an extremely detailed site guide (77 pages), with hand-drawn but exceptionally detailed maps, that is absolutely essential for visitors. There is then a comprehensive systematic list (over 100 pages) that answers all the questions one could possibly have about the status of all the species on the island's list. The whole is complemented with 76 of the author's own stunning colour photographs to serve as a more than adequate appetite whetter. No wonder Lesbos/vos has become one of the Mediterranean's top birding spots.

BTO News - May-June 1999

The island of Lesvos (Lesbos) lies in the Aegean Sea just a few miles from the coast of Turkey, and in these days of increasingly ambitious global birding Richard Brooks' book is a reminder of the delights on offer just a short flight from the UK. Copiously illustrated with the author's own superb colour photographs (77 plates of birds, sites and habitats), this is a 'Rolls Royce' of a birding guide.
The species accounts give a comprehensive review of each species' status on the island, although future editions will require careful editing to prevent these becoming too unwieldy. The site guides and maps are up-to-date and thoroughly road-tested, and short introductory sections on everything from island mythology to hotel recommendations and driving tips are informative and useful, especially for the first time visitor. Two other short chapters outline what is known of the staus, distribution and habitat needs of the island's two bird 'specialities', Krüper's Nuthatch and Cinereous Bunting and the book is completed with the obligatory bird checklist and less comprehensive list of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and butterflies known to occur on the island.
All of this comes to almost 250 pages, getting on for double the size of the first edition, Birding in Lesbos, published only three years ago. This largely reflects the rapidly accumulating volume of information on the island's birds as its popularity as a birding destination has increased through the 1990s. The author himself first visited the island only in 1991!
As a confirmed addict of birdwatching on Lesbos this reviewer is unashamedly biased. The island is an exciting birding destination, especially during the spring migration, but even its resident species offer some challenges. What is the full extent of the distribution of Krüper's Nuthatch, and which woodpecker species maintain permanent populations on the island's pinewoods? There remains much to be discovered. Richard Brooks succeeds in conveying all the enjoyment and excitement of birding on Lesvos. If you are planning your first visit, buy this book. If you are thinking about visiting, then buy this book and let it persuade you to go. If you are already a 'regular', then you'll still need a copy of this indispensable guide.

Private Letter of Appreciation - May 2000

I felt I must write to let you know how much we enjoyed our recent week's birding in Lesvos, and wanted to thank you for bringing the island's potential to the notice of the birding public via your brilliant book which was worth every penny! My husband and I were on our own, and it was so useful to have your maps to point us in the right direction for the amazingly varied habitats, and also invaluable to discover when having identified something fairly positively that your book confirms sightings in that exact spot and indeeed even in the same week in the previous years!
It never ceased to amaze us how the birds seem to have read your book as well, and seem to know exactly where they should and shouldn't be. We recorded 120 species of which over 30 were new to us, and just couldn't get over how easy they were to watch using the car as a mobile hide - so different form the other Mediterranean islands/countries we've visited ...
Once again, may we offer our thanks and congratulations to you for your expertise and input into birding in this area. The Lesvians should be awarding you medals and giving you free accommodation in thanks for your contribution to their prosperity and popularity, although let's hope it continues to maintain its amazingly low-key tourism. We shall certainly be back, because I don't see how any other Mediterranean sites are going to be able to compete with the quality, variety and quantity of birds, especially when mixed with the rest of the flora, fauna and scenery on offer!