2025 – GREECE 5 EURO COIN – The cinereous vulture

The cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) is a true giant of the skies, with a wingspan of up to three metres. It is one of the rarest and most endangered birds of prey in Greece. Its unique population in the country (and one of only two remaining in the Balkans) is found in the Dadia Forest, Evros, where 29-35 pairs nest. It builds its huge nest on the top of large, mature pine trees, and each pair raises a single chick every year. It is one of the four vulture species breeding in Europe and feeds exclusively on the carcasses of dead animals, mainly large mammals. The main threats to the cinereus vulture are illegal wildlife poisoning, collision and loss of habitat due to the deployment of energy infrastructures (wind turbines, power lines), as well as forest fires.