The guidon and the birds of the Pedion Areos Park
“Even though the goddess Athena is traditionally linked with the owl, her statue in the Pedion of Areos is accompanied by the scops owl (Otus scops),” explains Lefteris Stavrakas, a member of the Hellenic Ornithological Society. “The park provides a perfect habitat for this species, as it can easily find food due to the abundance of insects, rodents, and small birds. The significant number of tall trees with dense foliage offers ample spots for basking and perching during the day. It seems that the urban scops owls have adapted to the noise and bright lights, as this species is the most common nocturnal predator in the city and can be found in all groves and large gardens.”
The scops owl is a small bird, about 20cm in size, with uniform greyish-brown plumage peppered with distinctive small dark barred markings. Its most distinctive features are the symmetrical feathers on its head, which resemble ears, and its bright yellow eyes. During the day, it is hard to spot as it remains motionless, hidden among the dense tree foliage. Its presence is typically revealed by its monotonous, repetitive, and somewhat melancholy call heard at dusk and at night – one of nature’s most intimate sounds.
In winter, we often see thrushes seeking safe refuge from hunters, white-tailed godwits and ash-breasted mergansers, as well as many treecreepers, black-crowned kinglets, and pyrrhic kingfishers – birds that prefer areas of dense vegetation.
The scops owl exhibits migratory behavior, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and breeding in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. However, in central and southern Greece, the scops owls are endemic – the scops owls of Athens do not migrate.
The bird’s common name is derived onomatopoeically from its call. Its mournful tone has sparked the popular imagination, giving rise to a tale passed down to us through a poem by George Drosini:
There were two brothers who were beloved, / Sheep that were the great lord of the flock,
They called one a gioni, the other a demos. One day Gionis loses two lambs; / He looks for them, he can’t find them, he wanders around and cries. He comes to the stable, tells his brother.
He was found in his darkest hour, consumed by anger like a wild beast. In his rage, he took a knife and committed murder. As the lambs returned to the flock, the murderer stood there, tears streaming down his face. He bowed his head in remorse. God saw him, beating his chest in anguish, weeping day and night, yearning for death. And so, God transformed him into a bird. That’s why, in the stillness of the night, you can hear the mournful cries of the bird from the tree, calling out, “Gioni, Gioni, Gioni!”
This bird is a shepherd, lamenting the death of his brother, Gioni, whom he killed in a fit of despair when they lost their sheep.
“The guillemot is just one of the many bird species that either reside permanently in the park or visit for varying durations, from a few hours to six months,” says Lefteris. “Due to the park’s inhospitable environment for birdwatchers over the years, the list of recorded birds is relatively small. However, it’s certain to expand significantly over time.”
The most notable category is the breeding birds. The most prevalent are the monk, blackbird, black-crowned kingfisher, and blackbird. The ash bunting and the pale-crested warbler are consistently present, while a handful of cardinals and warblers continue to breed despite the city becoming increasingly hostile to them. In recent years, redshanks, goosanders, and jays have also started nesting. The exotic parrots (the green and myotis) are also making their presence known.
During the summer, the sky above the park is adorned with barn swallows and the now scarce spotted swallows. The park is also home to three species of ash trees. Pied flycatchers, peregrine falcons, and rock thrushes visit the park throughout the year, hunting for an unsuspecting bird to secure their daily meal.
During the winter, several thrushes take refuge in the park to escape hunters. White-tailed godwits and ash-breasted mergansers can also be spotted, along with many treecreepers, black-crowned kingfishers, and pyrrhic kingfishers. These birds tend to favor areas with dense vegetation.
During migration periods, particularly in the spring, the park serves as a stopover for numerous small passerines. These include the nightingale, often heard singing through a dense bush in April, various flycatchers, palm civets, and more. Only time will tell how quickly and extensively the bird list of the Field of Mars will grow.”
This article was originally published in the print edition of LiFO.
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