The Jerusalem Bird Observatory is an urban
bird observatory in
Israel, sited on a 5000 m
2 plot in central
Jerusalem between the
Knesset and the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
.
[
]
History
The Jerusalem Bird Observatory was established in 1994 by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. It was founded by the naturalist Amir Balaban and theornithologist Gidon Perleman.
In 2016, 50,000 tourists visited the park.
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 the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting by ...
route between Africa and Eurasia along the Great Rift Valley. Every spring and fall, more than 500 million birds migrate through Israel. Two-thirds of the species seen in Jerusalem are migratory. 30% of the birds are permanent residents, they do not migrate. Gazelles also populate the park.
The observatory serves as the national bird banding center. It is directed by naturalist Amir Balaban and ornithologist Gidon Perleman.[ Two hundred birds are banded every day by trained volunteers during the spring and fall migrations.
It is located between the Parliament, the Wohl Rose Park and the ]Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
building. Small wooden observation posts are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The park is free.
Rare birds
* Eyebrowed thrush
The eyebrowed thrush (''Turdus obscurus'') is a member of the thrush family Turdidae. The scientific name comes from Latin ''Turdus'', "thrush" and ''obscurus'' "dark".
It breeds in dense coniferous forest and taiga eastwards from Siberia and M ...
(''Turdus obscurus''), sighted at the observatory in 2007
* Taiga flycatcher (''Ficedula albicollis''), banded at the observatory on 29 April 2007
* Hawfinch (''Coccothraustes coccothraustes''), banded at the observatory in June 2011
See also
* Wildlife in Israel
* Tourism in Israel
References
External links
Official website
{{authority control
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