Israel Science and Technology Directory

Birding Sites in Israel

Kfar Ruppin

By Keith Marsh from Bird Forum, Great Britain.

The cultivated land, fish-ponds and reservoirs around Kfar Ruppin kibbutz attract an outstanding range of birds including waterfowl, waders, herons and storks, gulls and terns as well as many passerine species. Intensive watching has shown this to be an excellent site for rarities and species such as Pygmy Cormorant, Great Black-headed Gull, Little Bustard and Citrine Wagtail appear to be regular in winter. More exceptional rarities have include Velvet Scoter, Demoiselle Crane, Pacific Golden Plover, Kittlitz's Plover and Isabelline Shrike.

As well as Pygmy Cormorant and Great Black-headed Gull the reservoirs and fish-ponds attract various herons and egrets, both storks, Little and Baillon's Crakes, Whiskered Tern and White Pelican. White-breasted and Pied Kingfishers are common and a variety of ducks can be seen. Passerines include Clamorous Reed Warbler and regular passage Citrine Wagtail.

The fields, mainly to the north and west of the kibbutz, hold regular wintering Little Bustard, passage pratincoles, Stone Curlew Spur-winged and possibly Sociable Plover. Black Francolin is fairly common and passerines on the fields include a variety of larks, pipits and wheatears.

Kfar Ruppin kibbutz lies close to the Jordanian border and can be reached by leaving Bet She'an eastwards following signs for Newe Etan or Kfar Ruppin. Follow the road sharply south as it approaches the border and the road ends at the kibbutz after about 5km.

BIRDS INCLUDE: Great Cormorant (PM,W), Pygmy Cormorant (W), White Pelican (PM,W), Little Bittern (PM), Black-crowned Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great White Egret (PM,W), Purple Heron (PM), Grey Heron (W), Black Stork (PM), White Stork (PM), Eurasian Spoonbill (PM,W), Greater Flamingo (PM, W), Eurasian Wigeon (W), Common Teal (PM,W), Mallard (PM,W), Garganey (PM), Northern Shoveler (PM,W), Common Pochard (W), Tufted Duck (W), Honey Buzzard (PM), Red Kite (rare PM), Black Kite (PM), Egyptian Vulture (PM), Griffon Vulture (PM), Short-toed Eagle (PM), Marsh Harrier (PM), Hen Harrier (W), Pallid Harrier (rare PM), Montagu's Harrier (PM), Steppe Buzzard (PM), Long-legged Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle (PM), Greater Spotted Eagle (rare W), Osprey (PM), Common Kestrel, Red-footed Falcon (PM), Merlin (PM,W), Black Francolin, Little Crake (PM,W), Baillon's Crake (PM), Little Bustard (rare W), Stone Curlew, Collared Pratincole (PM), Black-winged Pratincole (PM), Little Ringed Plover (PM), Kentish Plover (W), Spur-winged Plover, Sociable Plover (rare W), White-tailed Plover (rare PM), Great Black-headed Gull (W), Armenian Gull, Whiskered Tern (PM), Ring-necked Parakeet, Barn Owl, Eurasian Scops Owl (Su,PM), White-breasted Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, European Bee-eater (Su,PM), Hoopoe, Short-toed Lark, Red-rumped Swallow (Su,PM), Red-throated Pipit (PM,W), Water Pipit (W), Tawny Pipit (PM), Citrine Wagtail (PM,W), Desert Wheatear (PM), Clamorous Reed Warbler, Orphean Warbler (Su,PM), Penduline Tit (W), Woodchat Shrike (Su,PM), Common Jay, Dead Sea Sparrow, Desert Finch (PM), Ortolan Bunting (PM), Corn Bunting.

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