Capsule While breeding dates were similar to those of populations in other Mediterranean regions, there is evidence of either a low carrying capacity or insular traits, and the population seems to experience a bottleneck period during the chick-rearing period. Aims To describe the breeding phenology of Griffon Vultures in Crete, assess their breeding success and productivity, and compare breeding dates and parameters with mainland populations. Methods The breeding ecology of Griffons was studied between 1997 and 2001 by intensively monitoring 70 focal nests, whereas the timing of laying was determined in 86% of the breeding population. The reproductive performance was assessed from1996 to 2005 by visiting all active colonies five to nine times per year. Breeding parameters were compared between years and regions by applying a mixed design repeated-measures ANOVA. Results The mean laying date was 28 January (range: 25 December-16 April) with clutches peaking in February (86%). Median laying date in west and east Crete were 17 January and 7 February respectively, preceding the rainfall season. The average incubation period was 57 ± 4 days and hatching events occurred from 15 February to 29 April. The nestling stage lasted 119 ± 9 days and fledging dates ranged from 4 June to 23 August. The breeding success was 0.74 chicks/breeding pair/year and productivity was 0.52 chicks/territorial pair/year. Fifty percent of the breeding failures occurred during the egg stage, 16% during hatching and 34% during the chick-rearing period. Conclusion Breeding success was mainly influenced by fledging success, negatively affected by inclement weather in spring, and decreased in relation to laying date and age of mate. A densitydependent mechanism in combination with environmental stability seemed to diminish interregional differences in breeding parameters. Thirty-five percent of the colonies produced 76% of all the young fledged in 10 years. An artificial increase of food supplies during the prelaying and the mid chick-rearing periods could improve the species breeding performance.

With more than 80% of the species global population breeding in Greece, Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae) is reported to be the most important bird species in the country. A national population survey was conducted during the breeding seasons 2004-2006 in order to assess the species' breeding distribution and population size. This census was the first of its kind and was part of a global population survey, involving more than 80 field workers. Standard field protocols, described in the International Species Action Plan, and a GIS interactive database were developed. Data were stored and spatially explored in conjunction to historical information and past records. A total of about 17,660 falcons were counted or an estimated 12,300 breeding pairs, which were concentrated in six major regions, i.e., northeast Aegean, Sporades, east Cyclades, Antikythira, southwest Dodecanese and the satellite islets of eastern Crete. Compared to previous descriptions of breeding colonies and population status, spatial variation in site occupancy was detected with a population decline in one of the aforementioned regions and an apparent increase in all the rest. The results of this national survey, expected to be repeated every 10 years, provided guidance for reviewing the conservation status of Eleonora's Falcon in Greece and baseline information for future monitoring of its population.

The present study describes the use of poison baits against so-called pest species in Greece and explores various aspects of this illegal practice. Data were collected from 2000 to 2016, and a total of 1015 poisoning incidents in rural areas causing the death of 3248 animals were examined. In 58.7% of investigated cases, the motives remained unknown; in the remaining cases, human-wildlife conflicts and retaliatory actions among stakeholders (e.g., hunters vs. livestock breeders) were found to be the main reasons for poison bait use. The target animals for these actions were mainly mammalian carnivores, and stray canids, all of which were blamed for livestock and game losses. Avian scavengers were the wildlife species most affected by secondary poisoning (30% of the wildlife fatalities), whereas shepherd dogs accounted for 66.4% of domestic animal losses. Toxicological analyses showed that a wide range of chemical substances were used, mostly legal or banned pesticides (e.g., carbamates, organophosphates, and organochlorines) and potassium cyanide. Furthermore, the widespread trafficking of black marketed insecticides was also recorded, with methomyl (in powder form) and carbofuran being most common. The majority of poisoning events (72%) took place outside protected areas, while in approximately 73.4% of them, no official reporting to the competent authorities was made. Overall, the study highlights the significant impact of illegal poison bait use on wildlife in Greece and addresses its extreme socioeconomic complexity. The need for an integrated national anti-poison strategy is discussed.

We studied the foraging behaviour of Eurasian griffons Gyps fulvus on the island of Crete during 1997–2005 by direct observations in four colonies and by monitoring the movements of seven radio‐equipped individuals. The estimated foraging range of griffon colonies, based on direct observations, ranged from 206–851 km2 by using the Minimum Convex Polygon method, and 195–527 km2 by using the Adaptive Kernel method, with corresponding means of 472 and 380 km2, respectively. Meanwhile, radio‐tracking showed that foraging vultures covered an area ranging from 390–1300 km2. The mean foraging radius was calculated at ca 15 km and the mean maximum one at 29.9 km. On windless days, griffons' mean cross‐country speed was 5.1 m/second (maximum = 13.3 m/second), with a mean climbing rate of 0.6 m/second and a mean inter‐thermal gliding speed of 18.8 m/second. Any livestock carrion located up to 9 km from a colony was exploited by its members with minimum competition from individuals of adjacent areas. In total, we recorded 23 feeding incidences which took place at a mean distance of 8.4 km from the colonies. The food types identified were sheep carcasses located near stock‐farms and offal disposed in waste dumps in the vicinity of the colonies. On average, the griffons allocated 7.6 hour/day to food searching. This varied significantly between months and seasons. The shortest foraging time was recorded in December (6.4 hour/day) and the longest in June (9.3 hour/day). A significant difference of one hour after sunrise was detected in the departure time from the colony between seasons revealing that griffons departed earlier during winter trying to maintain their foraging budget within the available daytime limits.

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