Simon says: "Meet Tristram's Starling (Onychognathus tristramii)"

Tristram's Starling (Onychognathus tristramii)

In Israel you can find 500 bird species due to our position as a major migration corridor between Europe, Asia & Africa.
Meet Tristram's Starling (Onychognathus tristramii), one of our most striking birds which we see everywhere from the Negev to the Judean Desert & increasingly in towns.
Monogamous pairs stay together year-round, even within large flocks
Breeding season is March to June, nesting in rock crevices, cliff faces, & even urban buildings.

Females lay 2-4 bluish eggs with brown spots; she will sit on her nest while her mate brings her food.
They eat wild fruits, beetles, flies, bees & small snails & can often be seen grooming ibex & domestic livestock, eating ticks & parasites right off them!
Farmers in Ein Gedi and Mitzpe Shalom find them to be a pest, as they cause damage to date & grape crops.

The bird is named after Reverend Henry Baker Tristram, an English clergyman & naturalist who "collected" the first specimen near Mar Saba Monastery in 1864.

Spot them with Imagine Israel Tours - keep your eyes on the cliffs, especially near the Dead Sea & Masada. Their rusty-orange wing patches flashing in flight are unforgettable. ✨

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At Imagine Israel Tours we love to notice not just the big moments of history, but also the small details of nature that make Israel unique.

I’m a licensed tour guide with experience driving & guiding all over Israel in a comfortable 7-seater vehicle & I’m an accredited tour guide for Israel’s National Parks.

I’ve also been certified as the Amazon Tour Guide for online virtual tours in the North of Israel - as well as being a guide for cruise ship passengers coming into Haifa & Ashdod.

My price includes collection from and return to your location, snacks, water & a unique souvenir of your tour.

My TripAdvisor reviews https://shorturl.at/aIR47

Please don't hesitate to be in touch imagineisrael8@gmail.com, or by phone/WhatsApp +972 54 2390412 if I can help plan your visit.