Israel ranks as one of the world’s top birding destinations

This fall and coming spring, Israel will play host to two of the world’s unique birding festivals, the Hula Valley Bird Festival (Nov. 11-18) and the Eilat Birds Festival (March 13-20, 2013). Israel’s Hula Valley annually welcomes such rare migratory species as the Greater Spotted and Eastern Imperial Eagles, along with local species including the Black Francolin and Pygmy Cormorant. The Hula Valley Bird Festival will offer comprehensive birding workshops, a photography seminar, a bird-watching competition and tours led by local birding experts. Organized by the Israel Ornithological Center, the seventh annual Eilat Birds Festival will offer birding lectures, workshops and guided tours to bird-watching sites in Eilat. The festival will allow travellers to witness the migration of more than 500 million birds, including rare raptors, pelicans and cranes and feature an opening banquet and evening activities at the Isrotel Agamim Hotel. “Israel’s unique natural landscape and ideal location for bird migrations has allowed us to emerge as a world-class birding destination,”says Haim Gutin, Israel Commissioner for Tourism, North and South America, “and we hope the two festivals will attract a new wave of travellers to enjoy outdoor tourism options in Israel.”Festival tickets can be purchased on the festival web sites: http://www.hulabirdfestival.org and http://www.eilatbirdsfestival.com .