Cranes in Israel's Hula Valley set to migrate north to nesting grounds

Huge flocks of cranes are set to fly through the Hula Valley in Israel's North on their spring migratory path to their nesting grounds, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) announced Monday.

The Hula Valley is important for these feathered guests, as they need to eat and rest before they fly across the desert in the South. The reeds in the Hula Valley are rich in food with vital nutrients needed to store energy for their long journey.

During the spring, migration hormones manifest in migratory birds like cranes, which impact their behavior, signaling that the migration time is approaching.

"The coming weeks are among the most beautiful weeks in nature," KKL-JNF field manager Inbar Shlomit Rubin said. 

"Spring migration is full of surprises, every moment looks and sounds different. I hope that winter is not officially over, as rainy days create a 'traffic-jam' of migrating flocks, and the sights are fabulous!" 

"Spring migration is full of surprises, every moment looks and sounds different. I hope that winter is not officially over, as rainy days create a 'traffic-jam' of migrating flocks, and the sights are fabulous!"

Inbar Shlomit Rubin

When do cranes migrate through Israel?

Around 100,000 common cranes come to Israel every year from Russia and eastern Scandinavia, with about 40,000 of them staying for the winter, according to the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI). 

The birds that don't stay for winter head south to Africa, usually south of the equator.

In the summer, however, the cranes have their nesting season, and many more begin to appear in Israel during October after the summer ends.

These birds are famous for their migration patterns and can be found as far away as East Asia, India and East Africa, across Siberia and Central Asia and in parts of Europe — including such far-flung places as the Iberian Peninsula and Ireland.

Due to this, they have been known to humans throughout history and have fascinated mankind for thousands of years.

The Hula Valley is one of the major points in Israel where migratory birds stop over, and the Hula Lake Park is one of the country's most popular birdwatching sites.

Twice a year, over 500 million birds, from more than 400 species, pass through the area of the Hula Lake Park as they migrate from Europe to Africa and back.

Aaron Reich contributed to this report.