Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
Part of the northern Jordan Valley and formerly an extensive marshland area, but now drained except for the Hula Nature Reserve near Yesod Hama'ala. The reserve's water level is maintained at c.6 m above that of the surrounding valley, and the main habitats are open water,
Cyperus papyrus thickets, swamp-meadow with
Cyperus,
Typha,
Juncus and
Scirpus, and
Phragmites beds. There are fish-ponds and reservoirs in the area adjacent to the reserve and to the north.
The Hula valley, and particularly the Hula Nature Reserve, is the most important wetland area in Israel for breeding waterbirds. See boxes for key species; other breeding species include
Halcyon smyrnensis and
Ceryle rudis. The reserve provides a roost site for large migrant flocks of
Pelecanus onocrotalus, and there are high passage numbers of
Ciconia ciconia,
Anas clypeata, several raptor species and
Grus grus (see box). Wintering species include notable numbers of
Circus aeruginosus (60) and
Aquila clanga (23). The site was listed as a wetland of international importance by Carp (1980).
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The Hula Nature Reserve (450 ha) was established in 1956, and much hydrological management has been carried out to maintain the quality of the habitat. Potential threats to the birds in the reserve and in the Hula valley are pollution by pesticides and fertilizers from adjacent farmland, and disturbance from visitors.
Data-sheet compiled by S. Blitzblau, reviewed by R. Frumkin.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Hula valley (Israel). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hula-valley-iba-israel on 25/12/2024.
