Migratory birds fly:

Ahmon ha-Hula Nature Reserve

(Israel for the week" - 12/06/2014)

IN More than 200 species of birds constantly live (nes) in Israel, and taking into account migratory birds, the number of bird species in Israel exceeds 500.

Daytime birds of prey are widely represented: the black vulture (Vultur monachus), the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus, whose Hebrew name is Nesher - the name of the suburb of Haifa and which claimed the title of “Bird of Israel” in 2008), the vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), vulture (Neophron percnopterus), Eurasian steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis), short-tailed eagle (Circaetus gallicus), marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus), sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), several species of falcons (the most common is the common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus; also hobby , Falco subbuteo, and the lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni), buzzards (including the buzzard, Buteo buteo, and the buzzard, Buteo rufinus) and kites (the most common being the black kite, Milvus migrans).

Long eared owl

Two more large birds of prey, the bearded vulture and the long-eared vulture, are considered extinct in Israel and only occasionally fly into its territory.

Nocturnal birds of prey are represented by the little owl (Athene noctua) and barn owl (Tyto alba) (the most common species), as well as the short-eared owl (Asio flammeus), long-eared owl (Asio otus) and scops owl (Otus scops); Tawny owls (Strix) and eagle owls (Bubo bubo) are rare.

The brown fish owl (Bubo zeylonensis) is now considered extirpated from Israel and was last observed in 1975.

Amethyst Short-tailed Starling

(Cinnyricinclus leucogaster)

In Israel there are several species of storks (of which the most common is the white stork, Ciconia ciconia, which, however, rarely nests in Israel itself), ten species of herons (often the Egyptian, Bulbulcus ibis, the small white, Egretta garzetta, the gray, Ardea cinerea, and the night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax; four more species have been recorded only a few times), as well as loaf (Plegadis falcinellus) and spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia, do not breed chicks in Israel, but are often found from autumn to spring).

Mediterranean petrel

Also, from autumn to spring, pink pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus) can often be seen in Israel. In the Eilat area you can see red flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber).

Rails are represented primarily by moorhens (Gallinula chloropus), coots (Fulica atra) and gray cranes (Grus grus).

Spur lapwing (Vanellus spinosus; also nominated for the title of “Bird of Israel” in 2008) is often found in wetlands; Sometimes other types of lapwings can be found.

The common sandpiper (Calidris minuta) is also found there; In addition to it, common representatives of the plovers are the blackbird (Tringa ochropus) and the grasshopper (Tringa totanus).

Red-throated loon

The most common representatives of the ducks in Israel are the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), teal (Anas crecca), red-headed pochard (Aythya ferina), shoveler (Anas clypeata) and tufted duck (Aythya fuligula), on the migration route of which this country is located.

Rare species such as marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) and white-eyed pochard (Aythya nyroca) live permanently in Israel.

Common birds of cities and countryside in Israel are the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis), blackbird (Turdus merula), great tit (Parus major), bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthopygos; another nominee for the title of “bird of Israel” ), jackdaw (Corvus monedula), carrion crow (Corvus corone cornix), black-headed goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis, also claimed to be the “Bird of Israel”), greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) and linnet (Carduelis cannabina).

Forest ibis

Doves (ringed doves, Streptopelia decaocto, and little doves, Streptopelia senegalensis) and rock pigeons (Columba livia) are widespread.

Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia), White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) are also common (breeding in the autumn and winter months).

Hoopoes (Upupa epops), declared the “bird of Israel,” and jays (Garrulus glandarius) live close to human habitation. For desert areas, a common bird is the desert raven (Corvus ruficollis).

Hoopoe

The bushland is home to rock partridges (Alectoris chukar), desert chickens (Ammoperdix heyi) and francolins (Francolinus francolinus); Quails (Coturnix coturnix), which were once very popular to hunt, are now rare, but Bedouins still continue to catch them in nets on the Mediterranean coast of Sinai (in Egypt).

Birds of a feather (Burhinus oedicnemus) are also regularly encountered. Other common birds of Israel are the kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), millet (Emberiza calandra), barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) and African cliff swallow (Ptyonoprogne fuligula), Palestine sunbird (Cinnyris oea, also nominated for the title of "Bird of Israel"), Mediterranean warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), Arabian thrush (Turdoides squamiceps), Syrian woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus), desert lark (Ammomanes deserti).

Kingfisher

Mynahs (Acridotheres tristis), newcomers from East Asia, are rapidly spreading throughout Israel. In recent decades, a population of two species of parrots has appeared and is growing in the center of the country: monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) and Kramer's parrots (Psittacula krameri, drara), the latter significantly harming agriculture.

In contact with

Some species belong to different categories at the same time. Of the more than 200 species of breeding birds, only about 175 nest annually, the rest only occasionally.

In this category, only 57 species are sedentary, year-round species. Most species that breed in Israel and are not sedentary winter in Africa, but the black bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) winters in India, and the Israel-breeding subspecies of the Buzzard (Buteo rufinus rufinus) winters north of the breeding region, including Turkey and Eastern Europe .

283 of the noted species are migratory, and 216 species chose Israel as a wintering place. More than 130 species are recorded as vagrants with varying frequencies of sightings.

Falcons

The most common falcon species in Israel is the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), the most frequently nesting falcon in the urban landscape. Local population belonging to the subspecies F. t. ssp tinnunculus, settled.

מינוזיג , CC BY-SA 4.0

Wintering and migrating individuals belong to the same subspecies. Also settled are the kestrels inhabiting the southern part of Israel, which are closer in appearance to the subspecies F. t. ssp rupicolaeformis, distributed in Egypt, Sudan and the Arabian Peninsula. They are probably a transitional form between the two subspecies. Much less common are the Hobby (Falco subbuteo) and the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni).

The Israeli population of the Mediterranean falcon (Falco biarmicus, the subspecies F. b. ssp tanypterus breeds in Israel) has greatly decreased over the past decades and now numbers about 25 breeding pairs. This sedentary species, which previously lived on the steep banks of wadis and in mountain gorges throughout the country, now nests only in and.

About one hundred pairs (as of the 1980s) of the resident red-headed peregrine falcon (Falco pelegrinoides) nest in the desert regions of Israel from the north of the Judean Desert to the southern Negev.

Rarely, but regularly, single migratory individuals of Eleanor's Hobby (Falco eleonorae) are observed. Another rare migratory and wintering species is the saker falcon (Falco cherrug). Between 100 and 150 pairs of silver hobbies (Falco concolor), representing approximately 10% of the global population of the species, return annually to breed in Israel from wintering grounds in Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique. The nesting biotope of the Silver Hobby is rocky cliffs exclusively in the arid regions of Israel - in the Negev, the Judean Desert and in the mountains of Eilat.

Accipitridae

Israel is home to two species of buzzards from the family Accipitidae, of which the most numerous breeding member is the Buzzard (Buteo rufinus; the nominate subspecies B. r. ssp rufinus breeds in Israel). Recently, there has been a trend in this species to shift from nesting on rock cliffs to nesting in trees. Another feature of the biology of the Israeli Buzzard population is its wintering north of its breeding grounds - in Eastern Europe and Turkey.

In 1992, nesting in Israel (on) the buzzard (Buteo buteo) was recorded for the first time. In subsequent years, more nests were discovered and pairs with nesting behavior were observed in forests and belonging to the subspecies B. b. ssp vulpinus. Individuals of this subspecies make up the largest number of migratory and wintering buzzards. The number of migratory birds, especially during spring migration, amounts to hundreds of individuals per day and can approach half a million depending on the direction of the prevailing winds. The several hundred buzzards that winter in Israel each year mostly belong to the European subspecies B. b. ssp buteo.

The rough-legged buzzard (Buteo lagopus) flies into Israel extremely rarely, but regularly. Large migratory flocks are formed by European hawks (Accipiter brevipes), while less numerous goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) and sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) prefer to fly alone, partly remaining in Israel for the winter, joining the local sedentary breeding population.

Vultures

Three of the five vulture species that previously nested in Israel are now found as rare migratory and wintering species: the black vulture (Aegypius monachus), the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), as well as the African long-eared vulture (Torgos tracheliotus), with which work is being done to create a captive population for the purpose of reintroduction into their former habitats.

האני שנאוי , Public Domain

The populations of griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) and vulture (Neophron percnopterus), which have greatly decreased in recent decades, are gradually recovering.

Eagles

Six species of eagles are most often seen soaring through the skies - the lesser spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina), of which approximately 85 thousand individuals - the entire global population - migrate to Africa through Israel and; the Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga), an endangered species that previously nested in small numbers in northern Israel, of which 120–200 individuals winter in the country each year; eastern steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis), a common migratory and rare wintering species; Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) is another critically endangered species, about 70 of which winter in Israel each year; golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos, subspecies A. ch. homeyeri breeds in Israel, the population of which has declined in recent decades to about 20 breeding pairs); and the Kaffir eagle (Aquila verreauxii), which previously nested extremely rarely in Israel, and now occasionally flies here during its annual migrations.

The resident hawk eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus) is extremely rare, both as a breeding site and on migration, preferring the mountainous eastern regions of Israel. In the canyons of the Judean Desert it often nests next to the golden eagle. Despite the overlap in hunting areas, the smaller hawk eagle occupies a different hunting niche, which eliminates conflicts. From several hundred to several thousand individuals of the small pygmy eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) are observed annually in Israel both on spring and autumn migration, and only about a dozen individuals remain for the winter.

White tailed eagle

In 2015, after a many-year break, nesting of a white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) was again recorded in Israel - a couple successfully raised a chick in . Before this, the last nesting of two pairs was recorded in 1957. In subsequent years, the white-tailed eagle was regularly observed only during migration and wintering by individual individuals and in small quantities. Thus, the largest number of wintering individuals was noted in the winter of 1988/9, when seven individuals were recorded, five of them in the Hula Nature Reserve. The Hula Nature Reserve is the southern limit of the species' breeding range, isolated from nearby habitats in northern Turkey and Iran.

Buzzards

Between half a million and a million honey beetles (Pernis apivorus) migrate through Israel every year. Crested buzzards (Pernis ptilorhynchus, subspecies P.p.ssp orientalis) migrate in much smaller numbers - several dozen individuals. First recorded on migration in 1994, Crested Buzzards are being observed more frequently and in larger numbers, reflecting a trend toward expansion of the species' global range.

The Israeli population of the snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus) ranges from 300 to 500 breeding pairs. In addition, a significant number of individuals of this species fly in Israel and about 10 thousand birds are observed annually on migration. The number of wintering snake beetle individuals is insignificant due to the low activity of reptiles in winter.

Kites

The black kite (Milvus migrans), which was a breeding resident, migratory and wintering species in northern Israel in the 1940s and 1950s, completely disappeared from the country in subsequent years due to a campaign to use agricultural poisons.

מינוזיג , CC BY-SA 4.0

Currently, it rarely nests in Israel, but remains one of the most numerous species of diurnal birds of prey, both on migration and during the winter, when flocks of several thousand individuals are found.

A rare migratory and wintering species is the red kite (Milvus milvus).

In 2011, nesting in Israel of the black-winged smoky kite (Elanus caeruleus) was confirmed for the first time, previously observed in the country only as a vagrant species with an increasing frequency of sightings from year to year. As of 2015, up to 50 pairs of this species may nest in Israel. Such a rapid increase in the number of nesting black-winged smoky kites in Israel is due to the high reproductive capacity of the species against the backdrop of a global expansion of its range to the west. Four species of harriers migrate and winter in Israel: marsh or reed harriers (Circus aeruginosus), field harriers (Circus cyaneus), steppe harriers (Circus macrourus) and meadow harriers (Circus pygargus).

Owls

The most common species of owls are the barn owl (Athene noctua) and the barn owl (Tyto alba), the growth of which is facilitated by its involvement in rodent control by hanging nest boxes. More rare are the gray owl (Strix aluco), the long-eared owl (Asio otus) and the scops owl (Otus scops), which inhabit not only forest areas, but also city parks.

In open spaces overgrown with low bushes, you can find the rather rare short-eared owl (Asio flammeus). Rock crevices and caves attract the eagle owl (Bubo bubo), which in the Negev is replaced by the desert eagle owl (Bubo ascalaphus), which has increased in numbers following the development of agriculture in dry areas. On the steep slopes of dry river beds that deeply cut through the mountainous areas of the Negev, the Judean Desert and the Eilat Mountains live the tawny owl Strix hadorami, which was identified as an independent species in 2015, and was previously identified as the pale owl (Strix butleri). In the mountains of Eilat and in the Arava, old spreading acacias are the wintering site of the rare desert armyworm (Otus brucei, in Israel represented by the subspecies O. b. ssp exiguus), the last reliable nesting of which in Israel dates back to 1911. Breeding of this species was confirmed again in 2015, when a live chick was discovered on a date palm plantation near the Dead Sea.

The brown fish owl (Bubo zeylonensis), which nested along the rivers of the north of the country, and was previously not numerous, has disappeared from all known nesting sites (last recorded in 1975).

Storks

Several species are found in Israel storks (of which the most common White stork , Ciconia ciconia, which, however, rarely nests in Israel itself), ten species of herons (often found Egyptian, Bulbulcus ibis, small white, Egretta garzetta, gray, Ardea cinerea, and night heron , Nycticorax nycticorax; four more species were recorded only a few times), as well as loaf (Plegadis falcinellus) and spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia, do not breed chicks in Israel, but are often found from autumn to spring).

SuperJew, CC BY-SA 3.0

Also from autumn to spring in Israel you can often see pink pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus). Near In Eilat you can see red flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber).

Cranes

Several tens of thousands of gray cranes (Grus grus) fly through Israel every year. It is impossible to determine the exact number of migrating individuals, since most of the migration takes place at night. Until the mid-twentieth century, only a few individuals remained for the winter in Israel. A sharp increase in the number of wintering individuals occurred in the 70s of the 20th century, when several thousand birds were already wintering in the Jezreel Valley and the Hefer Valley. The intensification of peanut cultivation in the Hula Valley led in the early 1990s to a change in the wintering areas of gray cranes in Israel.

The Hula Valley became the wintering center for this species, while the former sites were almost completely abandoned. The number of wintering individuals has also increased sharply - according to data for 2007, about 10 thousand individuals remain overwintering in the Hula Valley. Most common cranes observed in Israel belong to the nominate subspecies G. g. ssp grus. There are also individuals belonging to the subspecies G. g. ssp archibaldi and G. g. ssp lilfordi. Another member of the crane family in Israel is the demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo). Single individuals of this species are rare, but regularly found in the wintering grounds, mainly in the Hula Valley.

Rails

The rail family is represented in Israel by eight species. The most numerous is the moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - a sedentary, nesting species, the number of nesting individuals of which ranges from one thousand to two thousand. Unlike the moorhen, another species of rail - the coot (Fulica atra) - nests extremely rarely, more often occurring during the nesting season as a flying species. At the same time, during migration and wintering, it is one of the most numerous species of waterfowl in Israel.

The crake (Porzana pusilla), which previously nested in the north and center of the country, is now found only as a rare migratory and even rarer wintering species; rare on migration (mainly in spring) and wintering and crake (Porzana porzana). The lesser crake (Porzana parva) is a fairly common migratory and rare wintering species; it flies less frequently. No nesting sites have been recorded in Israel, however, given the secretive nature of birds of this species, their presence is not excluded.

Secretive behavior is also characteristic of another migratory rail species - the corncrake (Crex crex). A common migratory and wintering species is the water rail (Rallus aquaticus), rare as a flyer and even rarer as a nesting species. The Sultana (Porphyrio porphyrio) is the largest and most variegated species of rail in Israel. In the past, Sultan's nests were observed in the area of ​​​​an artificial lake in the Negev; at present, nesting is possible, but not reliably established, in the fish ponds of Kibbutz Maayan Zvi in ​​the north of the country. Outside these two places it is a rare vagrant species.

Common lapwing (Vanellus spinosus; nominated for the title of “Bird of Israel” in 2008) is common in wetlands; Sometimes other types of lapwings can be found. The common sandpiper (Calidris minuta) is also found there; In addition to it, common representatives of the plovers are the blackbird (Tringa ochropus) and the grasshopper (Tringa totanus).

Tirkushka

The meadow pratincola (Glareola pratincola) and the closely related steppe pratincola (Glareola nordmanni) are common migratory species in Israel, but if the latter does not nest in Israel, the meadow pratincola was a common breeding bird in Palestine in previous years.

benjli, CC BY-SA 2.0

This species, which settled in colonies of up to several dozen pairs in open spaces in the north and center of the country, almost completely stopped nesting in Israel with the beginning of agricultural intensification in the sixties of the last century. The chicks, still unable to fly, clinging to the ground by instinct when in danger, died under the wheels of tractors and in the mechanisms of processing units. However, in recent years, as a result of environmental protection measures and educational work among farmland owners, the number of nesting birds has begun to increase. The highest concentration of several dozen nesting pairs is now observed on potato and peanut plantations in the Hula Valley. The local breeding population of meadow tirkushkas winters in Africa.

Anseriformes

Most of the anseriforme species recorded in Israel are wintering and migratory species, and only four species - mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), white-eyed duck (Aythya nyroca), marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) and teal (Anas querquedula) nest here, and the last three are extremely rare. The most numerous migratory and wintering flocks are formed by tufted ducks (Aythya fuligula), red-headed ducks (Aythya ferina), wigeons (Anas penelope), shovelers (Anas clypeata), teal (Anas crecca), shelducks (Tadorna tadorna), mallards and teals - codfish.

More rare during migration and wintering are gadwalls (Anas strepera), pintails (Anas acuta), scorches (Tadorna ferruginea), white-headed ducks (Oxyura leucocephala), mergansers (Mergus serrator), red-billed pochards (Netta rufina), gray ducks (Anser anser) and white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons). Since the 1980s, an invasion of the Nile goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) has been observed, mainly in the center of the country.

Solitary migrations of the brown booby (Sula leucogaster) into Israeli territorial waters are rare but regular. Almost all migrations (limited to the subspecies S. l. ssp plotus) were recorded in the Gulf of Eilat. Another species of the gannet family found during the winter migration period is the northern gannet (Morus bassanus). This species is regularly observed as solitary individuals in the Mediterranean Sea, most often far from the coast.

Seagulls

The only breeding species of the gull family in Israel is the Mediterranean gull (Larus michahellis). The Mediterranean gull previously rarely nested in separate pairs only on small islands along the northern coast of Israel, on the sea coast along Carmel and on artificial reservoirs adjacent to the sea.

In recent decades, there has been a tendency towards a constant increase in the size of the sedentary population. As of 2014, there were 35-45 breeding pairs in Israel. In recent years, nesting has also begun to be observed in urban environments, including on the roofs of houses in Ramat Aviv in the center of the country.

At the same time, the urban population exceeded the population in the natural habitat. The nesting area has also increased. Thus, the southernmost nesting was noted in, and the most distant from the sea coast - on ponds near Ramla. In addition, the Mediterranean gull is a common migratory and wintering species. The number of wintering individuals, reaching several thousand, varies greatly from year to year, as with other species of gulls wintering in Israel. The most numerous species of gull, both on migration and during the winter, is the black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus). In some years, the number of wintering individuals can reach 40 thousand.

Grebes

Currently, the only breeding species of the grebe family in Israel is the little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), which leads a sedentary lifestyle. Some ornithologists believe that the local breeding population belongs to the subspecies T. r. ssp iraquensis, distributed in Iraq, Iran and Jordan; others place it in the nominate subspecies T. r. ssp ruficollis, native to Europe and wintering in Israel. It nests in coastal thickets in small and shallow fresh water bodies (including artificial ones), mainly in the north of the country and on.

The highest concentration of breeding pairs was noted in the Jezreel Valley and the Hula Valley. The total number of nests in Israel varies in different years from 60 to 120. The number of nesting pairs has greatly decreased since 1950–60. last century as a result of reclamation work. Currently, the main factor that can affect the number of successful nests is a sharp, controlled decrease in water levels in fish ponds and wastewater treatment ponds. It is more numerous during the winter, which it prefers to spend in larger reservoirs and fish ponds. The number of wintering birds is stable over the years and amounts to about 1,800 individuals. The Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), which previously nested in northern Israel, is now observed only as a common, but not numerous, migratory and wintering species.

In 1969, the last time a pair of great grebes (Podiceps cristatus) with a brood was observed in Israel. Previously, dozens of pairs of this species nested in northern Israel in a strip of thickets of yellow egg capsule (Núphar lútea) in the northern part of Lake Hula, in reeds in the southwest of Kinneret and in wetlands adjacent to the Taninim and Poleg rivers in the Primorsky Lowland. Now the species is regularly observed only during migration and wintering. The red-necked grebe (Podiceps auritus) and gray-cheeked grebe (Podiceps grisegena) are noted as rare, occasional vagrant species.

Coraciiformes

The order Coraciiformes is represented in Israel by three families with seven species, six of which are nesting. The European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is the most numerous and widespread of the three species of the bee-eater family in Israel, both on migration and as a breeding ground, although its numbers have declined greatly in recent decades.

The green bee-eater (Merops persicus) has also become significantly rarer, the number of nesting pairs of which in the Jordan Valley does not exceed several dozen. But the small green bee-eater (Merops orientalis, the subspecies M. o. cyanophrys nests in Israel), on the contrary, has been increasing its numbers and range for several decades following the expansion of agriculture in dry areas.

The only representative of the roller family - the common roller (Coracias garrulous) is common in autumn and more numerous in spring migration and is rare for nesting in open spaces in the north and center of the country (the subspecies C. g. garrulous nests in Israel). In recent decades, the number of breeding rollers has declined. Since the 30s of the last century, there has been a constant expansion of the range of the red-billed alcyone (Halycon smyrnensis) - one of the three species of the kingfisher family in Israel, which, unlike the small piebald kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), is not so tied to feeding on fish and successfully populates the anthropogenic landscape away from water sources. On the inland waters of the country and on the sea coast, the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) is common on migration and rare on wintering grounds.

Pigeonidae

Two species of pigeons - the little dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) and the rock pigeon (Columba livia, or rather its urbanized form C. l. var. urbana, for the local subspecies C. l. palaestinae has become extremely rare and is preserved only in the Negev), are some one of Israel's most numerous birds, especially in the urban landscape.

Slightly inferior in number to them are the ringed dove (Streptopelia decaocto), which is most often found outside populated areas, nesting throughout the country, with the exception of the most arid regions of the Negev, and the common turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur), which does not nest in Israel, but is common as a flying subspecies S .t. arenicola and the migratory subspecies S. t. turtur. The forests of the Galilee are the main wintering grounds in Israel for the wood pigeon (Columba palumbus). This is a fairly common wintering species, sometimes forming large flocks. Rare on migration. Here in the Galilee in 2014, nesting of the wood pigeon was first recorded in Israel. The Western Negev and the Hula Valley are the main wintering grounds for the pigeon (Columba oenas), a rare pigeon found in small numbers in Israel. Also rare as a migratory species. The rare Cape Dove (Oena capensis) nests in a narrow strip from the northern part of the Dead Sea to Eilat. The Laughing Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) visits Israel regularly.

Sandgrouse

According to the first targeted study of the population of sandgrouse in Israel, conducted in 2008 by the Department of Nature and Parks in the south of the country, a downward trend in the number of four of the five breeding species of sandgrouse was observed since the late 1980s.

The main reasons were the intensification of agriculture and the greening of large tracts of loess lands, which changed their habitat in the Negev and Arava. The population of black-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis) was least affected, due to its most extensive range in the central and northern parts of the Negev and the Judean Desert. In contrast, the population of the once most abundant white-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata) in the northern and western Negev has suffered the most. The number of desert sandgrouse (Pterocles senegalus) and red-capped sandgrouse (Pterocles coronatus) has also decreased. Despite the overall decline in numbers, stable populations of these species still exist within the reserves. The study did not consider the rarest species of sandgrouse in Israel - the Liechtenstein sandgrouse (Pterocles lichtensteinii), which has only two nesting sites in the Arava, the future of which is threatened by agricultural development (the population in the area of ​​​​Kibbutz Neot Smadar) and the construction project of a new airport north of Eilat. All species of sandgrouse in Israel are sedentary species.

Wagtails

Of the 14 species of the wagtail family found in Israel, only three species nest in small numbers in the north and center of the country - the white wagtail (Motacilla alba, the nesting subspecies M. a. alba and four subspecies are found on migration and wintering), the yellow wagtail ( Motacilla flava, the subspecies M.f. feldegg breeds in Israel and 11 other subspecies occur on migration and wintering) and the long-billed pipit (Anthus similis, the Levant subspecies A. s. captus breeds in Israel).

The White Wagtail is one of the most abundant visually observed migratory species in the city. In the Hula Nature Reserve, a program has been successfully implemented to attract white wagtails to nest in specially designed nesting houses. Two more species of wagtails - mountain (Motacilla cinerea) and yellow-headed (Motacilla citreola), as well as eight species of wagtails - mountain (Anthus spinoletta), forest (Anthus trivialis), red-breasted (Anthus cervinus), American (Anthus rubescens), Richard's (Anthus) richardi), spotted (Anthus hodgsoni), field (Anthus campestris) and meadow (Anthus pratensis) - are migratory and wintering species, flying in small quantities. Godlewski's Pipit (Anthus godlewskii) has been observed several times in Israel.

Flycatchers

Four species of flycatchers are found in Israel as rare migrant species - the small flycatcher (Ficedula parva), the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypotenuse), the half-collared flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata) and the white-necked flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis). The common gray flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) nests in the north and center of the country (subspecies M. s. naumanni), often in populated areas.

Birds of cities and countryside

Common birds of cities and countryside in Israel are the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis), blackbird (Turdus merula), great tit (Parus major), bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthopygos; another nominee for the title of “bird of Israel” ), jackdaw (Corvus monedula), carrion crow (Corvus corone cornix), black-headed goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis, also claimed to be the “Bird of Israel”), greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) and linnet (Carduelis cannabina). Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) are also common (breeding in the autumn and winter months). Hoopoes (Upupa epops), declared the “bird of Israel,” and jays (Garrulus glandarius) live close to human habitation.

For desert areas, a common bird is the desert raven (Corvus ruficollis). The bushland is home to rock partridges (Alectoris chukar), desert chickens (Ammoperdix heyi) and francolins (Francolinus francolinus); Quails (Coturnix coturnix), which were once very popular to hunt, are now rare, but Bedouins still continue to catch them in nets on the Mediterranean coast of Sinai (in Egypt). Birds of a feather (Burhinus oedicnemus) are also regularly encountered.

Other common birds of Israel are the millet (Emberiza calandra), the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) and the African cliff swallow (Ptyonoprogne fuligula), the Palestine sunbird (Cinnyris osea, also nominated for the title "Birds of Israel"), the Mediterranean warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), the Arabian thrush (Turdoides squamiceps), Syrian woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus), desert lark (Ammomanes deserti). Mynahs (Acridotheres tristis), newcomers from East Asia, are rapidly spreading throughout Israel.

J.M.Garg, GNU 1.2

In recent decades, a population of two species of parrots has appeared and is growing in the center of the country: monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) and Kramer's parrots (Psittacula krameri, drara), the latter significantly harming agriculture. Presumably, the populations began due to feral domestic parrots and the “escape” of parrots from the zoo.

GlassOWater, GNU 1.2

Previously living in the Middle East, the Syrian subspecies of the African ostrich (Camellus camellus ssp. syriacus) was exterminated in Palestine, probably as a result of uncontrolled hunting, back in the 1920s, and the last representatives of this subspecies were hunted in Jordan and Saudi Arabia in the late 1960s years. With the creation of a nursery in the Arava - the Hai-Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve, the beginning was made of restoring the ostrich population in Israel. For this purpose, several birds from Ethiopia that were genetically close to the extinct subspecies were brought here.

Clément Bardot, CC BY-SA 4.0

Over the course of many years of breeding work, a population of 50 birds was formed in the reserve. In 2005, the first group of 13 mostly young birds was released into the wild, but not a single bird managed to survive: four birds were caught in traps on the Jordanian border, one bird was shot by an Egyptian border guard and one died for unknown reasons. And some simply disappeared, perhaps moving to the territory of Sinai. Given the previous sad experience, the second group of four birds, released in 2006, included older individuals. But they also died, becoming victims of predators. After this, the world's only program to recreate the ostrich population in the wild was suspended.

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Fauna of Israel

Fauna of Israel

Israel has always been lucky because of its location on Earth. The country is located at the junction of three continents, and since time immemorial, various species of animals have come here from the south, north and east. The Bible mentions more than 130 species that lived in the land of ancient Israel. But due to frequent wars and invasions, the fauna in the country was constantly changing: some animals were exterminated by the conquerors, while others, on the contrary, were brought with them. It is interesting that not only theologians, but also natural scientists consider Israel to be a unique country: almost all changes in its fauna occurred due to human intervention.

The fauna of Israel is diverse and rich.

The fauna includes about 100 species of mammals, the most famous are leopard, cheetah, caracal, lynx, jungle cat, big-eared hedgehog, wolf, jackal, striped hyena, Mediterranean fox, badger, porcupine, dromedary camel, gazelle, fallow deer, maned sheep, antelope, oryx, wild boar, African buffalo, ichneumon.

Afghan fox included in the Red Book.

Nubian ibex

Boars and porcupines cause noticeable damage to plantations and fields, wolves living in the Golan Heights sneak into pens and bully livestock, farmers complain about losses, but nothing can be done: hunting wolves is prohibited - they are listed in the Red Book.

Previously, man destroyed animals, now he protects them.

Marsh lynx, Felis chaus.

Ain Horesh, Eyal Bartov

Canaan gazelle, Gazella gazella,.

Arava, Ayal Bartov.

The animal protection law in Israel is not an empty formality; animals are protected and protected here.

Hyrax are the closest relatives of modern elephants.

Hyraxidae are a family of small, stocky,

herbivorous mammals, numbering 4 species.

On the outskirts of Jerusalem, near garbage heaps, you can often see jackals and porcupines.

In Israel, there are special farms where llamas, crocodiles, ostriches, and peacocks are bred.

Jay (Garrulus).

While Israel's borders are considered impregnable, hundreds of thousands of refugees have filtered into the country.

Locals have long been accustomed to it, but a tourist is very surprised by this picture. They will not be able to stay, but for now they feel free and unpunished.

They flew here from cold countries, including Russia. They are in no hurry to fly further, they remain like birds.

1 There is a place in the north of the country that I missed on my last trip to Israel. The Hula Valley, with several beautiful lakes, was created by human hands. Once upon a time there were malarial swamps here. Now it is a flourishing region and a national park.

2 You won’t even recognize this kind of Israel: in your imagination it is pictured as a sandy Middle Eastern country, but here it’s almost Stavropol.

3 A former swamp was turned into a place where families now come to spend their weekends. At first, birds were specially attracted here, fed so that they would destroy dangerous insects. They began to arrive every autumn. Ornithologists proposed making a bird sanctuary in order to study their behavior and simply earn money from tourists and entertain people.

4 Just a few hours by car from Tel Aviv, and you can find yourself in a completely different Israel. Rent such a machine for the whole family.

5 Or bicycles. The park is also a great place for a date!

6 There are sunrise and sunset group tours. You are put in a tractor trailer, the seats of which are arranged like an amphitheater, and you drive straight to the field to look at the birds up close. They recognize the tractor and are not afraid of it at all: in the bird’s brain, the logical chain “the tractor carries food” is beyond doubt.

7 I arrived almost dark, so I decided to return the next morning to ride around the reserve without crowds and rush.

8 Bicycles are good.

9 But they also rent club golf cars. And for a very long time I dreamed of steering one of these. How many hotels have I tried to persuade you to, but they won’t go anywhere!

10 Summer, Moscow region, early morning. Doesn't look like the Middle East at all.

11 The birds have occupied all the fields and graze there, periodically organizing their bird markets, which spread throughout the entire area.

12 Without a good long lens you won't see anything. Rent binoculars, they provide them! But I recommend an independent walk, the tractor is too poppy.

13 There are golf cars for 2 or 4 people. An hour and a half rental costs a little more than 2 thousand rubles. Israel is an expensive country.

14 No cities were built on the site of these swamps, but it turned out well too.

15 I’m not an ornithologist, but I recognized some of the birds. Is this a cormorant?

16 Although most of the “models” remained unknown to me.

17 Ducks in the fairway.

18 There are real fans. They buy an annual subscription, join a special club and come here regularly to watch the birds. You see, below the tripod the girl has a notebook. She writes down who she met this time.

19 What pleased me most was not the birds. Honestly, I don't really like them. But the beaver in the pond brought me joy!

20 It turned out to be not a beaver, but an otter. In principle, the same animal, only the tail is different. The otters ended up here almost by accident: one guy bred them for fur coats, but then he got tired of them and just threw them away, you asshole. The animals crawled to the pond, settled there, and began to reproduce. And now they are permanent residents of Lake Hula.

21 I hope you enjoyed this post about nature.

Birds in the environment are at great risk around the world. The main threats to the extinction of bird species are human activity, overhunting, deforestation, environmental pollution and transformation of the earth's landscape. Almost 13% of all birds on the planet are on the verge of extinction.

Due to their small numbers, some birds are considered rare. In 2015, about 40 bird species were classified as endangered and at risk.

10. Palila (Loxioides bailleui)

The palila lives in the Hawaiian Islands and is one of the rare and endangered bird species. The main factors threatening this species are the spread of predators, the emergence of new plant species and fires that destroy the habitats of these birds. These factors have led to a rapid decline in their numbers and rarity. The bird is listed in the Red Book as a rapidly disappearing species.

9. Wood owl (Heteroglaux blewitti)

The forest owl lives in the forests of central India. Deforestation caused this bird species to concentrate in small areas in small numbers. The species is known to be rare and endangered; this is also due to the influence of agrochemicals and grazing by cattle. The bird is listed in the Red Book as critically endangered.

8. Honduran emerald (Amazilia luciae)

The Honduran emerald is a bird species found exclusively in Honduras. This bird species is decreasing in number due to deforestation, as it is losing its habitat. The bird is listed in the Red Book as rare and characteristic only of Honduras, where its numbers continue to decline. The bird species is endangered.

7. Scaly-sided Merganser (Mergus squamatus)

The species is mainly found along the borders of Russia, China and North Korea. These birds live near rivers. The reasons for the decline in numbers were deforestation, hunting and the death of these birds in fishing nets. They are listed in the Red Book as a rare and endangered species.

6. Red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis)

One of the rarest crane species in all of Asia. It lives mainly in China, Japan, Korea and Russia. The numbers of this species have sharply declined due to human intervention in their habitat. The bird is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.

5. Orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster)

It is native to Australia and is listed as rare because there are fewer than 50 of them left in the wild. The species is critically endangered due to habitat degradation, predatory species and disease. The bird is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species and its numbers are declining.

4. Indian Great Bustard (Ardeotis nigiceps)

It lives mainly in India and in small quantities in Pakistan. The bird is known to be an endangered species, although it was previously abundant. Hunting, deforestation and direct extermination have threatened the conservation of the species. The bird is listed in the Red Book as rare and on the verge of extinction.

3. Christmas Frigate (Fregata andrewsi)

The bird lives on Christmas Island in Australia. The species is known to be endangered. The main factors behind the extinction of the species are environmental pollution due to phosphate mining, the emergence of new competing species and habitat degradation. This species is listed in the Red Book as rare and rapidly disappearing.

2. Kakapo (Strigops habroptila)

One of the most colorful parrots in the world. This is a nocturnal bird that does not fly. She is gigantic in size and weighs about 3.5 kg. The bird lives in New Zealand and is on the verge of extinction. The long period of isolation on the island helped her adapt, but at the same time it made her very vulnerable. The bird is listed in the Red Book as an endangered and rare species.

1. Asian Ibis (Nipponia Nippon)

It is abundant in Asian countries, mainly China and Japan. This bird was once very numerous, but due to certain factors it reduced its numbers. The number of species began to decline in the 19th and 20th centuries due to deforestation, the use of agrochemicals in rice fields, hunting, and changes in wetland landscapes. This bird is in danger of extinction and complete extinction, therefore it is listed in the Red Book.