Description
Selinari is a monastery on the island of Crete that is beautifully built into the southern mountainside of the Selinari Gorge. It is very easy to reach by bus from Malia or Agios Nikolaos, and of course by car. From the bus stop or the bistro, you can observe all of the species mentioned directly in and above the rock massifs on both sides of the road. The colony of Kızıl akbaba comprises an estimated 10 pairs. The birds are said to be fed by the monks. The really special feature is the breeding of the Gökdoğan ssp pelegrinoides, which I discovered there for the first time in 2024 for Greece and thus for Europe outside the Canary Islands. The Gökdoğan ssp pelegrinoides is sympatric there with the Gök doðan (subspecies brookei).
Other birds you can observe in the area are Ada Doğanı, Kızıl şahin, Kırmızıgagalı dağkargası, Gökardıç, Kara leylek and Kaya güvercini.
Details
Access
Selinari is located 40 km east of Heraklion and 8 km east of Malia. Bus line Malia - Agios Nikolaos or by car take national road (E75). Observation is possible directly from the bus stop or the parking lot. Press P on the map for directions.

