Climate Change Makes Israel Home for 500 Million Migrating Birds
Climate change is turning Israel into a permanent wintering ground for some of the 500 million migrating birds that used to stop over briefly before flying on to the warm plains of Africa, Israeli experts say.
The birds now prefer to stay longer in cooler areas rather than cross into Africa, where encroaching deserts and frequent droughts have made food scarcer.
"In the last few decades Israel has become more than just a short stopover because many more birds and a greater number of species can no longer cross the desert," said ornithologist Shay Agmon, avian coordinator for the wetlands park of Lake Hula in northern Israel.
photo credit: Artur Rydzewski