Over the weekend, the coin collector Roni Levana marked a young black-capped chickadee at the Nili and David Sevki Jerusalem Bird Research Station - a small songbird weighing only 18.5 grams, one of the most common in Israel, which is not well known to many.
However, today, the station received an unusual report: the bird was captured about 160 km to the north, in the town of Dlebta in the Jbeil district in northern Lebanon, by a local hunter, who identified the metal ring on its leg, which includes the code X-640671 and the source of the ringing - IBRC (The Israeli Bird Ringing Center).
The hunter, on his own initiative, contacted Dr. Yosef Kiat, who directs the Israeli Stamping Center at the Society for the Protection of Nature - according to him, "because the information is valuable for tracking, monitoring, research and conservation efforts of winged animals."
Yotam Bashan, director of the Nili and David Jerusalem Bird Research Station of the Society for the Protection of Nature, says that hunting in Lebanon is a widespread and destructive phenomenon, especially during the migratory seasons. "Every year, hundreds of thousands of migratory bird species are hunted in Lebanese territories, many of them protected species. Hunting sometimes takes place for food purposes and sometimes as a cultural act. In this case, contrary to expectations, the hunter chose to cooperate with bird conservation efforts, and contacted us directly."
The Society for the Protection of Nature adds that the Ariel Pavilion at the Nili and David Jerusalem Bird Research Station has been a long-standing focus for research on bird migration, and is leading studies on the relationship between shrub species and Mediterranean wild plants, and in particular on their role in seed dispersal and preserving biodiversity.
"Reports of this type, even if they originate from a painful event, contribute to the regional understanding of migration routes, and strengthen hope for cross-border cooperation that will help reduce the phenomenon of illegal hunting in the Middle East. It is precisely from such unfortunate events that hope can grow for regional cooperation and lead to a change in attitude towards nature conservation," adds Yotam Bashan.
The Jerusalem Bird Research Station named after Nili and David of the Society for the Protection of Nature, which is celebrating 31 years of activity this year, is the first urban nature site of its kind in the country, and is a center of attraction for hundreds of thousands of colorful birds and thousands of hikers and groups throughout the year.
The research station, adjacent to the Knesset, preserves one of the unique natural sites in Jerusalem, and offers visitors, individuals and groups, an opportunity to view one of the most fascinating and special natural phenomena from a close distance, both for young and old children, nature enthusiasts and professional birders alike.
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