The pelican migration season is currently at its peak, with nearly 2023,42 pelicans counting in the fall of 39 that arrived in Israel, with about <>,<> of them continuing south to Africa, and only a minority remaining in the winter in the region.
The Nature and Parks Authority not only counts the number of pelicans arriving in Israel, but also the number of days each of them stays in Israel. Each such day of stay is counted by the authority's inspectors, and the pelican's total days are counted and compared to the number of days in previous years.
Pelicans flying over Agamon Hula, Photo: Inbar Shlomit Rubin - KKL-JNF
One of the reasons for counting days is because an ordinary pelican eats about a kilogram of fish each day, and calculating the average number of days the pelicans stay in Israel allows inspectors and the authority to prepare in terms of obtaining fish, of the types that are not sold to the public, for the purpose of feeding these giant birds. The fish are scattered in the various reserves and locations in the country where the pelicans arrive.
The largest accommodation points for pelican flocks are Agamon Hula, Ram On/Barak reservoirs and the Eastern Valleys, with a significant focus on the Spring Valley, Jezreel Valley, Acre Valley, Hof Carmel and Emek Hefer.
The Nature and Parks Authority notes that the number of pelicans that arrived in Israel is significantly lower than in previous years (in 2020, for example, about 52,366 pelicans stayed in Israel), as well as the number of days they stayed (2023,536 days in total in 2018 compared to <>,<> days in <>). Also, the migration season itself, during which large flocks of various birds enter the country, has already ended.
Pelicans at Agamon Hula, Photo: Inbar Shlomit Rubin - KKL-JNF
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