Around the stream, you can encounter dozens of bird species.

Did you know that Israel is an important migratory route for birds?

Many birds migrate between Europe and Africa, doing so by flying over the sea. They stop here to rest before continuing their journey.

The Lachish stream provides a home for many migratory and local birds. Can you locate the following birds and answer whether they are migratory or local?

Write down the answers below.

Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Smyrna Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)

Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle Rudis)

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus)

Answers:

Hooded Crow: Local

House Sparrow: Local

Hoopoe: Migratory

White Wagtail: Migratory

Smyrna Kingfisher: Local

Pied Kingfisher: Local

Common Kingfisher: Migratory

Little Egret: Local

Glossy Ibis: Local

Great Cormorant: Migratory

Grey Heron: Migratory

Lesser Black-backed Gull: Migratory

Want to watch birds up close?

Birds are very suspicious. To get close to them, you need to be hidden or behind cover. For this purpose, the “birdwatching hide” was created, derived from the words “hide” and “bird.” Enter it and keep quiet. The birds won’t know you’re there, and you can see them up close, including the young ones.

Have you noticed concentrations of ibises and cormorants on the trees?

Have you noticed that these concentrations are on the other side of the stream? These are roosting sites. Many birds gather in fixed places to spend the night peacefully.

Try to think, why aren’t these roosting sites on the side you are walking along?

The answer….

The southern bank is used by us, humans, and we roam it at all hours of the day. For us, this is enjoyable activity, but for the birds, it is disturbance and interference, reminding you that birds are very suspicious, especially towards us. The northern bank, on the other hand, is used for industrial purposes, and therefore, after the workday ends, there are no people in it. For the birds, the northern bank is calm and safe. We, humans, do not disturb them during their nighttime rest.

Bird Watching Task:

To perform this task, you need to equip yourself with paper and a pencil or a camera.

Find one bird located around the stream. Choose:

A) Describe the bird you found.

B) Take a picture of the bird.

Upload the result to the Facebook page of Ashdod Tourism and tag:

#Birds_At_Lachish_Stream

This project was established with the support of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Association of Cities for Environmental Quality, Ashdod – Yavneh Region, and the Municipality of Ashdod.