Rare Golden-breasted Plover Sighted in Israel for Second Time Ever
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
A Golden-breasted Plover, a species endangered and normally found in the Arctic, was sighted for the second time ever in Israel over the weekend in the Negev Desert. The bird was observed at the Fora Reservoir, a key stopover for migratory species. The first sighting was in 2018. Experts speculate the bird may have made a navigational error during its first migration, possibly having been seen in Cyprus recently.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A Golden-breasted Plover was sighted for the second time ever in Israel's Negev Desert over the weekend.
- The bird is classified as Vulnerable (VU) due to habitat loss, hunting, and climate change.
- The first sighting of this species in Israel was in autumn 2018 near Kibbutz Ga'ash.
- Experts suggest the bird might be the same individual recently seen in Cyprus.
- The bird typically breeds in the Arctic and migrates to Argentina.
A rare Golden-breasted Plover, a species typically found in the Arctic Circle, was spotted over the weekend in northern Israel's Negev Desert. This marks only the second documented sighting of the bird in the country. The bird was observed at the Fora Reservoir in the northern Negev, a vital stopover point for many migratory birds.
The Golden-breasted Plover, a member of the sandpiper family, breeds in the northern Arctic, including northern North America, Alaska, and Canada, with its usual migration route leading to the coasts of Argentina. It is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List due to habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change.
Birdwatcher Miriam Al Sarhan first spotted the bird on Friday. The previous sighting in Israel occurred in the autumn of 2018 near Kibbutz Ga'ash, where the bird stayed for two days.
Dr. Yoav Perlman, Director of the Birdwatching Center at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, suggested that the bird might be the same individual observed in Cyprus about a week prior, which was the first sighting there. He speculated that the young bird, on its first migration, may have made a navigational error, potentially crossing the Atlantic to Western Europe before reaching Israel. Another possibility is that it crossed the Bering Strait from Alaska and Canada, traversing all of Asia to arrive in Israel.
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