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, man ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, sited on a 5000 m² plot in central

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

between the

Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...

and the Supreme Court.

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 ( he, החברה להגנת הטבע, ''HaHevra LeHaganat HaTeva''), or SPNI, is an Israeli non-profit environmental organization working to preserve plants, animals, and natural environments that repr ...

. It was founded by the naturalist Amir Balaban and theornithologist 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 route between

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

and

Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago ...

along the

Great Rift Valley The Great Rift Valley is a series of contiguous geographic trenches, approximately in total length, that runs from Lebanon in Asia to Mozambique in Southeast Africa. While the name continues in some usages, it is rarely used in geology as it ...

. Every spring and fall, more than 500 million

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

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'' . This article also deals with the seven species included in two further genera, '' Eudorcas'' and '' Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third ...

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

bird banding Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

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

volunteer Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

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 Supreme Court 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 Species description, first described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1811. The female has brown upper parts with a b ...

(''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 species placed in the genus ''Coccothraustes''. Its closest living relatives are the Chinese grosbeak (''Eophona migratoria'') ...

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

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

History

Rare birds

See also

References

External links