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Israel is one of the most exciting and accessible regions for birdwatching in the whole of the Western Palearctic, with over 400 of the c.500 species recorded occurring annually, including raptors, storks and pelicans, egrets, herons, wildfowl and shorebirds, warblers, wheatears and buntings. Many Middle Eastern specialities such as Black Francolin, Spur-winged Plover, White-breasted and Pied Kingfishers, Clamorous Reed Warbler and many raptors can be seen with relative ease year-round. In the southern part of the country, the Eilat hinterland is a migration highway that has ranked among the top five foreign destinations for British and European birders for many years.
This magnificent birding guide for Israel, published in two volumes, will be indispensable to all visitors to the country. In total, 23 main sites are covered in detail, with additional notes on over 100 sub-sites. Nearly 150 colour photographs (by Hadoram Shirihai, Dick Forsman, Klaus Bijere, Huub Huneker, Rene Pop, Jan Schram and Bernard Thies) add a field-guide dimension to aid identification.
Each guide provides background information on visiting Israel, followed by a concise introduction to birding in the area covered, plus notes on habitat, climate and timing of visits. Extensive coverage of the main sites (10 in the northern guide, 13 in the southern) forms the main part of each volume. Site descriptions cover rare and common species alike, and are complemented by excellent colour maps and colour photographs. Each volume concludes with a full checklist for the entire country (including notes on seasonal status).
Published in a portable field guide size, A Guide to the Birding Hot-Spots of Israel is a pioneering work that redefines the possibilities of site guides through its unique integration of text, species and site information.
