The Jerusalem Bird Observatory is an urban

bird observatory A bird observatory is a centre for the study of bird migration and bird populations. They are usually focused on local birds, but may also include interest in far-flung areas. Most bird observatories are small operations with a limited staff, many ...

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

, sited on a plot in central

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

between the

Knesset The Knesset ( , ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Israel. The Knesset passes all laws, elects the President of Israel, president and Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister, approves the Cabinet of Israel, cabinet, and supe ...

and the

Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

History

The Jerusalem Bird Observatory was established in 1994 by the

Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (, ''HaHevra LeHaganat HaTeva''), or SPNI, is an Israeli non-profit environmental organization working to preserve plants, animals, and natural environments that represent bio-diversity, by protectin ...

. It was founded by the naturalist Amir Balaban and the ornithologist Gidon Perleman. In 2016, 50,000 tourists visited the park. DSC 1536 jerusalem Birds research center efi elian

DSC 1536 jerusalem Birds research center efi elian

The Gutman Center addition was opened in 2011 for birds and bees. The Jerusalem Bird Observatory has a strategic location on the

bird migration Bird migration is a seasonal movement of birds between breeding and wintering grounds that occurs twice a year. It is typically from north to south or from south to north. Animal migration, Migration is inherently risky, due to predation and ...

route between

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

and

Eurasia Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...

along the

Great Rift Valley The Great Rift Valley () is a series of contiguous geographic depressions, approximately 6,000 or in total length, the definition varying between sources, that runs from the southern Turkish Hatay Province in Asia, through the Red Sea, to Moz ...

. Every spring and fall, more than 500 million

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

s migrate through Israel. Two-thirds of the species seen in Jerusalem are migratory. 30% of the birds are permanent residents, they do not migrate.

Gazelle A gazelle is one of many antelope species in the genus ''Gazella'' . There are also seven species included in two further genera; '' Eudorcas'' and '' Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third former subgenus, ' ...

s also populate the park. The observatory serves as the national

bird banding Bird ringing (UK) or bird banding (US) is the attachment of a small, individually numbered metal or plastic tag to the leg or wing of a wild bird to enable individual identification. This helps in keeping track of the movements of the bird an ...

center. It is directed by naturalist Amir Balaban and ornithologist Gidon Perleman. Two hundred birds are banded every day by trained

volunteer Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...

s during the spring and fall migrations. It is located between the Parliament, the

Wohl Rose Park Wohl Rose Park (Hebrew: גן הוורדים, ''Gan HaVradim'') is a public garden in Givat Ram, Jerusalem, located opposite the Knesset and government precinct, at the foot of the Israeli Supreme Court. The park was established in 1981. Over 400 ...

and the

building. Small wooden observation posts are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The park is free.

Rare birds

* Eyebrowed thrush (''Turdus obscurus''), sighted at the observatory in 2007 *

Taiga flycatcher The taiga flycatcher or red-throated flycatcher (''Ficedula albicilla'') is a migratory bird in the family Muscicapidae. The species was first described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1811. The female has brown upper parts with a blackish tail flanked ...

(''Ficedula albicollis''), banded at the observatory on 29 April 2007 *

Hawfinch The hawfinch (''Coccothraustes coccothraustes'') is a passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is the only extant species placed in the genus ''Coccothraustes''. Its closest living relatives are the genus '' Eophona'' of East Asia, a ...

(''Coccothraustes coccothraustes''), banded at the observatory in June 2011

References

External links

Official website
{{Tourism in Jerusalem Biological research institutes Ornithological organizations Birdwatching sites Environment of Israel Bird observatories Buildings and structures in Jerusalem Animal welfare organizations based in Israel 1994 establishments in Israel Tourist attractions in Jerusalem

History

Rare birds

See also

References

External links