Middle Spotted Woodpecker Returns to Breed in Israel After Over a Century
After more than 100 years of absence from Israel's breeding bird list, the Middle Spotted Woodpecker has returned to reproduce in the country. Dr. Yoav Perlman, director of the Bird Center at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI), documented a pair of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers with two chicks at the Ayalon wastewater treatment pond (Matash Ayalon) near Ramla. This discovery is significant but comes with concerns about the future of the reservoir, which is slated for renovation that could drastically alter its ecological character.
Dr. Perlman regularly visits Matash Ayalon to monitor the breeding of rare birds such as the little grebe, which nests there in large numbers. In late May, he observed an unusual sighting of three Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, a species typically only present in Israel during winter and not known to breed locally for many years. Subsequent visits confirmed the presence of a breeding pair actively feeding two chicks, marking the first modern record of breeding for this species in Israel.
The reservoir is scheduled for upgrades to prevent leakage and reinforce its banks, including lining with plastic sheets and installing solar panels. SPNI warns that these changes will likely destroy the reservoir’s ecological function, especially its role as a breeding and stopover site for migratory birds. Vegetation and mudflats critical for bird habitats will be lost under the plastic lining, potentially pushing the Middle Spotted Woodpecker and other species toward local extinction.
Dr. Perlman emphasized the reservoir’s importance not only for the Middle Spotted Woodpecker but also for other rare species such as the little grebe, little bittern, little egret, and various reed warblers. He called on the Water Authority to recognize the vital ecological role of man-made water bodies like wastewater reservoirs and to preserve at least some with high ecological value to support biodiversity in Israel and globally.
