A paradise for birds, Israel’s fields, cliffs, rivers, ravines, gorges and desert plains welcome more foreign visitors than Ben Gurion Airport. It is little wonder that the country is also a paradise for those who want to check out these ‘birds’.
White-breasted Kingfisher
Spur-winged Lapwing
Clearly birds have a splendid time in Israel if one goes by the number of its overseas visitors returning each year. They flock here by the millions, hardly to visit biblical and historical sites – although they might make a quick pit stop on these to attend to personal matters – no, the real explanation for Israel’s popularity with its fair-feathered-friends is because of its unique location – ‘nestled’ at the meeting place between three continents.
It is thanks to Israel’s close proximity to Africa, Asia and Europe that we can observe birds such as the White-breasted Kingfisher and the Black Francolin that are found in Asia, alongside the Black-bush Robin and whose habitats are found in Africa, and the Hawfinch who are more common to Europe.
Macqueen’s Bustard
Arabian Warbler
Israel’s for the Birds
So, if there was an Israeli tourist brochure for birds recommending best places to stay and eat, it would be sure to single out the Mediterranean coast and Red Sea, as well as the rivers and streams for the more leisurely types. For those preferring a fruitier locale and ready to thumb their wings at the scarecrows, there are plenty of orchards and vineyards while those looking for shade, there is no shortage of pine and oak forests. For the more rugged types who might prefer the stark and arid terrain of the Negev, where better to “Dive & Dine” than at the canyons, craters and desert cliffs. And during the heat of the day, local oasis springs offer superb recreational facilities for visitors too!
Some of the birds to be found in the desert include , Crowned and Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Western Reef Heron, White-eyed Gull, Nubian Nightjar, the enigmatic Hume’s Tawny Owl, Namaqua Dove, Blackstart, Streaked Scrub Warbler, Arabian Warbler, Desert and Trumpeter finch and many more. Most of these species can be found all year round.
On Golden Pond
A gem of an observation spot is the Agamon Hula Park with its large lake in the northern Galilee. It is the home for thousands of migrating birds that pass through the area in the autumn and spring, as well as the home of many native birds, making it a popular site for bird-watchers from Israel and abroad. It offers walking paths, the option to tour on bicycles, observation points, and telescopes for observing the thousands of birds that inhabit the site. Visitors can also take guided tours that offer explanations about the birds that inhabit the entire Hula Valley as well as watch a most informative interactive movie.
The lake covers an area of one square kilometer, interspersed with islands that serve as protected bird nesting sites. It is also the stopover point for tens of thousands of cranes migrating from Finland to Ethiopia every winter. The Agamon supports over 250 species of birds including large waterfowl concentrations and provides excellent opportunities for viewing raptors such as Greater Spotted and Eastern Imperial Eagle.
Short-Toed Eagle
Olive-tree Warbler
High Flyers
While already in the north, they say no birding trip to Israel is complete without visiting Mt. Hermon, which at 2224m is the highest point in the country and which supports a selection of montane species that cannot be seen anywhere else in Israel. Both the summit and the approach through lower areas have an excellent range of birds that cannot be matched elsewhere in the Western Palearctic. Beginning the assent, one could spot Isabelline Wheatears, Crested, Calandra and Bimaculated Larks, while a little further higher, the Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Upcher’s and Ruppell’s Warblers may come into view.
From Majdal Shams up to the ski-lift rock, Thrush and Rock Sparrow roam the hillsides and occasionally the Olive-tree Warbler. The Pale Rock Sparrow may also be spotted in mid-altitudes on Mt. Hermon.
The area around the ski-lift is believed the best area for Syrian Serin and Western Rock Nuthatch. While Sombre Tit (Poecile lugubris) can be found in nearby woodlands, Crimson-winged Finch are usually found only on the summit and to see this species it is necessary to take the ski-lift from the ski-center. Also only to be seen at the highest levels – albeit a rare sight – is the Alpine Chough. Raptors found in this area include Griffon and Egyptian Vultures, Bonelli’s and Short-toed Eagles, Long-legged Buzzard and Levant Sparrowhawk.
A winter visit to Mt. Hermon may produce Radde’s Accentor, Red-fronted Serin and Pine Bunting, all rare species in Israel.
Chiffchaff
Birds for All Seasons
Some 530 species of birds have been observed in Israel with over 200 nesting in the country. Some 175 of these, nest annually, while others are irregular nesters like the rare Basra Reed-Warbler who has been observed in the Hulla Valley.
About 216 species arrive here in autumn and leave in the spring. Migrating here from Europe and Asia, some, such as the Starling and the Common Crane spend the winter in large flocks, while many of the ‘seed eaters’ spend the winter in Israel in mixed flocks, including finches and larks. There are some Greta Garbo types such as the Common Chiffchaff and the Pallid Scops-Owl who “want to be left alone,” while there are the romantics who pass the winter in pairs like the Stonechat.
The Israeli winter also attracts a large variety of Raptors – more than 20 different species.
Clearly Israel’s popularity with the birds is not something new as there are records of bird migration dating back to biblical times. The prophet Jeremiah noted: “The stork in the heaven also knows her appointed times; and the turtledove, swift and the crane observe their time of coming” (Jeremiah 8:7).
Such splendid visions in the heavens from time immemorial to today are indeed spectacular sights. If the ancients considered Israel the center of the world, it certainly feels no less these days if one look up at the sky in the spring and autumn. Half a billion migrating birds, more than 230 species, fly in Israeli air space on annual migrations between Europe, western Asia and Africa.
A Bird in the Hand. Preferring to ‘twitter’ in nature, lifelong bird enthusiast and former South African, Gerda Israel engages with a robin at the Jerusalem Bird Observatory.
Has a Ring About It!
How do we know so much about bird migration over Israel? Well, meet former South African Garda Israel from Jerusalem who in 2013 received a Senior Citizen’s Volunteer Award at the Knesset for her lifelong contribution to the environment through her study of birdlife. Presenting her with the award was the Speaker of the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein and the late Minister for Senior Citizens, Uri Orbach (z”l).
The activity for which Gerda was honoured is known as ‘Bird Ringing’. It is so called because of the light-shaped tag placed on its leg when captured by enthusiasts like Gerda who are known as ‘ringers’.
“When a bird is caught, it is weighed and measured before being released,” says Gerda. “The idea is that somewhere else in the world they will be captured at another ringer station and the information will be sent back to us providing information on destination; the time it took for the birds to arrive there and their physical condition. In this way ornithologists are able to build up a picture on bird migration patterns.”
So, who are Israel’s most frequent migrants?
Explains Gerda: “The Blackcap Warbler from Europe that stops en route to Ethiopia and Kenya. It’s small, weighs about 15 grams and does not fly in flocks. They are individual travelers, each bird for itself. Unlike the big birds such as the storks, pelicans and cranes that migrate during the day and fly in flocks at high altitudes to catch the thermal winds, the little birds have to fly low with no thermals to ease their flight. These little fellows have to constantly flap their winds, using a lot of energy and therefore need to rest during the day and travel at night when it’s cooler.”
So where in Israel do you catch them?
Basically, where everyone else – one way or another – gets caught in Israel – the Knesset (Israel’s parliament).
Birds-eye view of Israeli Politics
The Jerusalem Bird Observatory is a small green island right next to the Knesset. “Had we not grabbed it in 1996,” says Gerda, “and set up this important sanctuary it would probably be a car park today for our politicians.”
Possibly gong through the minds of Knesset Speaker Edelstein and MK Orbach as they congratulated Gerda: “Hmnn…So this explains why we have to park a little further in the morning – her birds have preferential parking!”
And why shouldn’t the environment too not enjoy some proteczia! (Local Israeli slang for ‘protection’).
Sometimes as much as 300 birds a day are registered with their weight, sex and species recorded before they are released. Between 10,000 and 12,000 a year are ringed at the parliamentary observatory alone. When the center finds a bird (dead or alive) that has been ringed by another country, the foreign center is alerted. In this way, researchers learn not just the migration route but also feeding habits and age.
Syrian Woodpecker
Fair-weathered Friends
There are more than 130 species of birds that are classified as occasional visitors to Israel. Some that come ‘when it suits them’ are the Grey Hypocolius and Red-wattled Lapwing from Asia, the Cape Teal and Black Bush Robin from Africa, the Gossander from Europe and from across the Atlantic the occasional ‘Yank’, notably the Franklin Gull and American Golden Plover.
Our permanent residents include the bulbul, a songbird with gray or brownish plumage; the strong-clawed (Dendrocopos syriacus); the Sardinian Warbler; and the brilliantly colored, almost iridescent Palestine Sunbird (Cinnyris osea) which is similar to a hummingbird and can fit into the palm of the hand.
Coming into Land
With Israel offering a terrestrial bridge between the African continent and Eurasian landmass, millions of migrants from hundreds of species pass through Israel twice a year, making it one of the world’s busiest flyways. If these birds were incoming flights, it would be a flight controller’s nightmare! It is little wonder Israel today is renowned as being one of the best sites in the world to observe bird migration.
Today there are two major bird festivals in Israel – the Eilat Bird Festival in the arid south and the Hula Valley Bird Festival in the verdant north. They annually draw large crowds from birding professionals to amateur birders.
“If you’re flying to Europe, Africa or Asia, why not join the millions of your fellow-feathered travelers and stopover in Israel,” could be a promotion line from an Israel Bird Tourist Board if there was one. However, as ‘bird ringer’ Gerda Israel would probably say, “This is one industry that hardly needs advertizing. This crowd has been sold on Israel for thousands of years.” Just read Jeremiah!
The past two festivals hosted hundreds of Birdwatchers, photographers and bird lovers from
Dr. Yossi Leshem – Leading Israeli ornithologist.
Barn owl
The Birdman of Israel
Leading Israeli ornithologist Dr. Yossi Leshem has been in the vanguard of innovative research on bird migration. He has been a galvanizing force in regional cooperation as “migrating birds know no boundaries”. In association with Palestine and Jordanian Arabs, their work is designed to help protect and preserve the vital migratory super highway along the Jordan River. This partnership, called ‘Birding as a Path to Peace’ has grown to include a large educational component through which Arab and Jewish children come together on the subject of bird watching and identification in over 250 schools throughout the State of Israel.
A Senior Researcher in the Department of Zoology in the Faculty of Life Sciences at Tel Aviv University. A major success in Leshem’s research has been in reducing collision hazards with aircraft. With many of the birds fitted with satellite transmitters, led to one comical episode when “an endangered eagle I was tracking was downed in Lebanon on suspicion of being a Mossad agent”.
Another of Leshem’s programs involves the use Barn Owls and Kestrels as natural pest controllers to reduce the use of chemically harmful pesticides in agricultural fields. Apart from a national program, it has emerged as a regional project with Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.
