Huge flocks of migratory birds, including storks, pelicans and other small birds, cross Israel on their way to Africa or Europe every spring and fall. In order to raise public awareness in Israel regarding the migration seasons and the need to preserve this wonder, Yoram Yom-Tov and Uzi Paz wrote the book "Blowing Winds, Migratory Birds: Bird Migration in Israel and the World" (Magnes Press), which investigates this fascinating phenomenon exactly.
"There are 500 species of birds in Israel, 200 of which live in Israel, while the other 300 species are migratory birds that often need rest during their journey," Yom-Tov, professor emeritus at Tel Aviv University who currently writes zoology books, told Israel Hayom. "The rate of human reproduction in Israel is so high that it already affects all the animals in Israel now, and in the future, including those migratory birds that pass through us and rely on the humid environments here, which if we do not preserve them – they will be reduced to such an extent that it will cause significant impact and harm to the migratory birds."
"Keep the wonder." The cover of the book "Winds blowing, migrating birds: bird migration in Israel and around the world" // Photo: Public Relations
Yom-Tov noted that he hopes the book will succeed in raising awareness of migratory birds among the Israeli public, which will do more to protect them. "So far we have failed to do so, but we, as researchers and conservationists of nature, do not despair and continue this struggle of ours," he said.
Paz, for his part, notes that he did not often follow the usual path of academia, but worked a lot in the field. "I have been following birds and birding for 65 years," he told Israel Hayom. "One of the things that pushed me most into the field occurred in 1944, when I was a child. My friends and I were playing catch, and at the hiding place I was in, I suddenly saw a small bird with nesting material. I completely forgot about the game, and started following her. Later I realized that it was a finch bird, on which I also prepared my doctorate."
Spectacular sight: thousands of pelicans flying over the northern sky
Later in his career, among other things, Paz wrote the volume of birds in the immortal encyclopedia "Flora and Fauna of the Land of Israel," which, he says, "revolutionized the public's awareness of nature, flora and fauna in the country." He says that he is very happy about the initiative and the important goal behind the new book he co-authors: "Prof. Yom-Tov pushed me to join the writing, he was the living spirit of the book."
"Beyond the fact that no book has been written in Hebrew dealing with migratory birds in the past 30 years, my main reason for writing the book is not to cause public interest in migrating birds, but mainly to make it protect and preserve this wonder, because otherwise the future of the millions of migratory birds passing through Israel will not be bright," concluded Prof. Yom-Tov.
A flock of pelicans, photo: Uzi Paz
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