Spectacular Flock of Short-Toed Eagles Fills Eilat Skies En Route to Africa
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Dozens of short-toed eagles were observed in Eilat last Monday as they began their migration to Africa. The birds initially struggled with wind conditions, returning north to find thermals before ascending together. Volunteer Noa Omeisi described the sight as beautiful and moving, noting that Eilat is the eagles' final stop in Israel. This migratory phenomenon highlights the impact of weather on the birds' journey.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Dozens of short-toed eagles were seen in Eilat last Monday during their migration to Africa.
- Wind conditions initially hindered the eagles' southward journey, forcing them to seek thermals.
- Volunteer Noa Omeisi described the spectacle of the eagles ascending together as beautiful and moving.
- Eilat serves as the final stop in Israel for these migratory birds before they reach Africa.
- The short-toed eagle uses thermals to gain altitude efficiently during its migration.
A remarkable natural spectacle unfolded last Monday at the Eilat Bird Park, where large flocks of short-toed eagles took to the skies as they began their southward migration to Africa. The eagles initially attempted to fly south but faced difficulties due to wind conditions, forcing them to return north to seek thermals. After regrouping and attempting to gain altitude again, the birds eventually converged into a large group, filling the sky as they ascended together.
Noa Omeisi, a volunteer with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, documented the event. She observed the eagles after they had spent the night in the park. "This morning I saw them really rising from the trees in the bird park," Omeisi recounted. "They tried to head south, but because of the wind, they returned north and tried to catch a thermal again. At one point, three groups met and joined one large thermal. Suddenly the whole sky was full of short-toed eagles, rising together on a kind of axis. It was a beautiful and moving sight."
Omeisi also noted observing short-toed eagle migrations recently over the Yarkon National Park and Ben Shemen Forest. While she has seen similar phenomena in central Israel, the birds typically fly at a much higher altitude. In Eilat, however, the eagles were visible up close from the moment they left their roosts. "In the central region, I sometimes see such a migration, but usually at a very high altitude. In Eilat, the experience was completely different because I saw them leaving the trees where they roosted and beginning their migration. Eilat is their last stop in Israel, and we know they are about to leave the country and continue to Africa. There is something very moving about it, a real farewell before their journey continues," she concluded.
The short-toed eagle is a migratory bird of prey that passes through Israel on its way from nesting grounds to wintering areas in Africa. Like many raptors, they utilize thermals, columns of warm air rising from the ground, to gain altitude efficiently during migration before gliding south. Wind and weather conditions significantly impact their migratory path and progress. Eilat, at Israel's southern tip, serves as one of their final stopovers before they cross into Africa.