Bird watching

In Hula Valley, a Hanukkah crane ritual connects modern families, ancient texts - opinion

Israel’s bird migrations offer a Hanukkah ritual that echoes the natural world Jeremiah once used to teach his people.

Wings beat in perfect unison, massive birds rising into the brightening sky.
Parisian psychologist Catherine Hervais holds a pigeon's toeless foot showing the consequence strings can have on the bird on her daily mission to care for the capital's pigeons in front of the Centre Pompidou (aka Beaubourg) in Paris, France, November 4, 2025.

Sharks, pigeons may have something in common - the electric sensors in their ears - study

The golden thrush (Zoothera aurea), spotted for the first time in Israel on October 30, 2025.

White's thrush spotted in Israel for the first time by local birdwatcher

 The gull which traveled from Portugal to Israel was tagged, allowing researchers to trace its path.

From Portugal to Israel: The gull that traveled the longest distance ever


Why birds choose to spend their winter in Israel

The benefits include a shorter migration distance, a variety of habitats in a small geographical area, and avoiding the dangerous crossing of obstacles like the Mediterranean Sea.

Winter guests in Israel

Thousands of cranes migrate through Agamon Hula Park en route to Africa

The park is home to nearly 400 bird species including ospreys, falcons, pelicans, herons and mallards, and sits in one of the world's most significant bird migration routes.

Migrating cranes staying in Hula Lake Park

WATCH: Storks land in Israel to enjoy the natural wealth of Hula lake

The first arrival of storks in Israel was captured on film at Lake Hula.

A stork walks in a field near Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak in the South last month

Journey of the great white pelican

As Tu Bishvat approaches and temperatures climb upward, the pelicans begin preparations to make the return journey to their summer habitats in Europe.

White pelicans

WATCH: Dancing clouds of starlings take wing in Israel's southern skies

There has been a notable drop off in the number of birds to winter in Israel over the last 20 years.

Migrating starlings fly in formation across the sky near the southern Israeli town of Rahat

Migrating birds winter in Israel as climate change makes desert dangerous

The birds now prefer to stay longer in cooler areas rather than cross into Africa, where encroaching deserts and frequent droughts have made food more scarce.

Migrating cranes rest on the Hula Lake Ornithology and Nature Park in northern Israel

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