Small migratory birds, weighing no more than a few grams, travel thousands of kilometers each year between their nesting sites in Europe and their breeding grounds in Africa. Dr. Yoav Perlman of the Israel Ornithology Center warns that food shortages, widespread hunting and the climate crisis are pushing more and more species to the brink of extinction – and that the responsibility for their protection also lies with Israel and our private gardens.
Daniel Dotan, Zavit – Science and Environmental News Agency
Recently, teams from the Israel Ornithology Center have spent long hours in the open fields and dense groves of the Jerusalem Bird Research Station. They caught birds in mist nets, recorded their weight and health status, marked each one with a tiny leg ring, and released them back on their long journey south. Thus, in the midst of the migration period, Dr. Yoav Perlman, director of the Israel Ornithology Center at the Society for the Protection of Nature, along with a team of employees and volunteers, monitored about 80 different individuals of migratory birds every morning.
"Being able to mark and monitor the condition of these birds, and learn how they are affected by the different environments they pass through on their migration route, is of utmost importance," says Perlman. "This data helps us identify species that are being dramatically affected by environmental changes, sometimes to the point of extinction."
Perlman shines a spotlight on one of the migratory bird groups whose populations are declining as a result of environmental changes. The group, which feeds on arthropods, including insects, includes about 20 species of songbirds, including leafhoppers, rockhoppers and warblers, which, despite their small size and weight, make a journey every autumn. roaming Long and arduous from the nesting areas in the open woods of Europe to their breeding areas in Africa.
The biggest threats to small birds
As if an annual migration of thousands of kilometers wasn't enough, the many changes that occur in the areas along the migration route of the tiny birds – whose weight ranges from 7 to 25 grams – create difficult and complex challenges.
Perlman explains that in Europe, for example, the nesting area of the "insect-eating" group, industrial agriculture has increased in recent decades, and at an accelerated rate since the establishment of the European Union. "This means increased use Pesticides", which led to a decrease of up to 90 percent in insect biomass in these agricultural areas – that is, a direct impact on the amount of food available to birds that feed on insects. This affects them not only during the nesting season, but also in the preparation phase for migration, so that they set out on migration in less good physical condition."
Another significant threat to migratory birds is hunting. "Bird hunting is legal in many countries, and in some areas there is also large-scale illegal hunting," says Perlman. "This significantly thins the population of birds that migrate over these areas - especially when hunting occurs in the stopping areas of the birds, which arrive exhausted after miles of migration and are much easier to hunt. There are species like the common tern, for example, that hunting is pushing them to the brink of global extinction."
Perlman himself was a partner in research conducted in the field over the years. And that they showed About 25 million birds are illegally hunted around the Mediterranean basin. "The only optimistic statistic in all this is that the State of Israel is almost the only place in the region where there is not much hunting of birds."
Climate change is taking migratory birds to the edge (of the world)
The climate crisis, which is creating ecological threats all over the world, is also dramatically affecting migratory birds, and in more ways than one. “It starts with the shrinking Arctic, as a result of climate change – which is extending their migration distances south in winter, and north to their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra in spring,” explains Perlman. “Studies have shown that certain bird species need to add Approximately 1,000 additional kilometers each way "In migration, and for small birds, it can be the difference between life and death. This continues with spring arriving earlier in the northern regions from year to year, creating a mismatch between the average arrival time of the birds, and the rate of snowmelt and vegetation development – and thus the presence of arthropods and ripe fruit in these areas, which the birds feed on."
Finally, extreme weather including heat waves andIn forms, which is becoming more common as a result of climate change, also threatens the birds. "This year, for example, we experienced a severe drought in Israel," says Perlman, "and this also affects the availability of food in open areas for the birds - that is, insects, vegetation and fruit."
The solutions are as complex as the challenges.
So are there solutions to these threats to migratory birds? "The problems are big and complex, and some of them are intertwined – it's not like you press a button and all the problems are solved," Perlman replies. "The processes that need to happen for the situation of migratory birds to improve are a huge challenge, on a global scale. Regarding climate change – today, solutions to the crisis are known, but not yet effectively implemented, that are designed to make it easier for us, not just for the birds; but they will also benefit from it."
As for hunting, he notes that the Society for the Protection of Nature is working determinedly to deal with the problem. "Our goal is to lead Israel to be the first country in the world where there will be no sport hunting. In the meantime, we are managing to remove endangered species, such as the common tern, from the list of permitted hunting. In addition, we are committed to helping other countries around the Mediterranean basin deal with their problems with illegal hunting."
Another solution that Perlman and his team are implementing is optimizing the stopover sites for migratory birds. "The sites need to be in the best condition, rich in food, fertile and have a large area," he says. "In addition, we are engaged in the restoration of habitats for migratory birds."
Perlman also notes that there are bird species, such as male tree sparrows, that are More flexible in timing their migrations, and are able to keep up with the pace of change. "Other species (such as hawk-billed and black-capped chickadees), on the other hand, are very fixed," he says. "They migrate precisely on time – 'like clockwork' – and for them the problems that arise can be critical."
In terms of migration, he refutes a common assumption among most people that the only purpose of birds' migration in winter is to seek a warmer environment. "The reason for migration, in fact, is also the lengthening of the day in the southern regions," he says. "The birds migrate to places with many hours of daylight, because they find their food with the help of their sense of sight."
Israel – an ideal stopover for migratory birds
The tiny strip that marks Israel can barely be seen on a world map, but this area is very important for migratory birds: it is the last stop before they cross 2,000 kilometers of harsh desert space on their way south.
On the main migratory route of birds between Europe and Africa, our country is Central bottleneckHundreds of millions of them pass over us in the fall and spring, and most of them even stop here to rest, eat, and gain strength before continuing on to their destination.
"Israel's geographical location - the land bridge connecting Europe and Asia with Africa, and the variety of habitats here, make it a favorite stopover for migratory birds." Perlman says, adding that "some birds will pass over us without stopping, and others will adopt a 'touch and go' model in which they will stop to rest at night and continue their flight in the morning. The third group includes birds that stop here for a week or two to rest, eat, and store energy before continuing their journey." The migratory birds - large and small - are indeed only staying with us for a short time, on their way to Africa, but our job is to protect them as best we can.
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