Special forms of tourism | Birdwatching: The first birdwatchers arrive in Lesvos

• The tourist season for nature lovers is starting in earnest – over 7,000 birdwatchers are expected on the island this year

With the first birdwatching visitors already arriving in Lesvos, the tourist season is starting with positive omens for the local community. From mid-April, nature lovers from all over the world – known to the locals as “poulakides” – will flood the island’s wetlands, forests, and beaches to observe the region’s rare endemic and migratory birds.

As the president of Lesvos Hoteliers, Vassilis Vogiatzis, tells Tornos News, more than 7,000 visitors are expected this year, with the first charter flight from the United Kingdom arriving on the island on April 20.

Lesvos, the verdant jewel of the northeastern Aegean, is famous not only for its traditional villages and famous ouzo but also as one of the top birdwatching destinations in the world. With 333 bird species recorded – out of a total of 455 in Greece – the island is a true paradise for nature and bird lovers.

Why is Lesvos an ornithological paradise?

Lesvos’s strategic location, where Europe meets Asia, makes it an ideal stopover for migratory birds, especially in spring and autumn. The island becomes a natural bridge between the continents, with rare and impressive species finding refuge in its wetlands, forests, and quiet shores.

At the same time, the impressive variety of habitats – from wetlands and pine forests to olive groves, phrygana, rock formations and small islets – composes a colorful mosaic of nature that offers refuge to both rare and endangered species of birdlife.

The "holy grails" of the Lesvos birdlife

During the period of April-May, which is the peak of bird migration, two species attract the particular interest of observers:

1. Nuthatch (Sitta krueperi)

This small bird is found exclusively on Lesvos in Europe, while beyond it, it is found only in Turkey and Georgia. Its song echoes through the island’s pine forests, inviting observers to follow the sound and discover it.

2. Cinereous Bunting (Emberiza cineracea)

A globally Near Threatened species, it finds safe haven in Western Lesvos and Northern Chios, with a small population on Skyros. Lesvos is perhaps the most reliable spot in Europe to see it.

• Greece’s nature stars in alternative getaways

Lesvos’s success in attracting nature lovers is part of a wider trend of highlighting Greek nature as a key driver for experiential tourism. From the Butterfly Valley in Rhodes to the fragrant lavender fields of Evros and local festivals, Greece presents a face of authentic, themed hospitality.

This spring, nature "wears its best" and invites travelers from all over the world to experience Greece through its colors, sounds and rhythms.

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