A List of Birds Identified In Neighbourhood/Valleys

This list only includes birds definitely identified in or over our neighbourhood of North Jerusalem and the wooded valley right next to it over the last fifteen years and does not include any others seen in other parts of Jerusalem or Israel. Most of blog is about walks in area where these birds seen.


European goldfinch Carduelis carduelis occasional

Greenfinch Carduelis chloris resident

Linnet Carduelis cannabina winter

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs winter

House sparrow Passer domesticus resident

Tristram's starling Onychognathus tristramii sporadic

Hooded crow (Hoodies) Corvus corone (cornix ) resident

Jackdaw Corvus monedula resident

Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius atricapillus resident

Great grey shrike Lanius excubitor occasional

Red backed shrike Lanius collurio occasional

Masked shrike Lanius nubicus sporadic

Orange tufted sunbird Nectarinia osea resident

Great tit Parus major resident

Pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca occasional

Spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striata sporadic/resident?

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita sporadic & migrant

Graceful Warbler Prinia gracilis resident

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla summer

Whitethroat Sylvia communis occasional/summer/migrant

Blackbird Turdus merula resident

Stonechat Saxicola torquata sporadic

Black eared wheatear Oenanthe hispanica summer

Northern/common wheater Oenanthe oenanthe occasional

Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus occasional/migrant

Black redstart Phoenicurus ochrurus winter/occasional/migrant

European robin Erithacus rubecula winter

Nightingale Luscinia (which, thrush or common?) occasional/summer

Spectacled/Yellow vented bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos resident

white wagtail Motacilla alba alba winter

House martin Delichon urbica occasional

Swallow Hirundo rustica migration seasons

Crested lark Galerida cristata occasional, resident?

Bee-eater Merops apiaster summer

Roller Coracias garrulus occasional

rose ringed/ring necked parakeet Psittacula krameri sporadic

Hoopoe Upupa epops resident

Alpine swift Apus melba occasional

Common swift Apus apus summer

Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus passage

Syrian woodpecker Dendrocopus syriacus resident

Scops owl Otus scops sporadic

Barn owl Tyto alba resident?

Great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius summer

Laughing/Palm/Senegal dove Streptopelia senegalensis resident

Collared dove Streptopelia decaocto resident

Turtle dove Streptopelia turtur summer

Rock dove/Feral pigeon Columba livia resident

Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus resident

Common crane (passing over) Grus grus passage migrant (flocks)

Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar resident

Hobby Falco subbuteo summer

Kestrel Falco tinnunculus resident

Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus resident

Common buzzard Buteo buteo, passage migrant

Long legged buzzard Buteo rufinus sporadic

Honey buzzard Pernis apivorus passage migrant

Black kite Milvus migrans occasional

Hieraaetus/Circaetus/Aquila (migrating eagles) Not qualified to identify passage migrant

White stork Ciconia ciconia (passing over) passage migrant in large flocks

Night heron Nycticorax nycticorax occasional


Identification of many of the larger migrating birds of prey requires considerable expertise as there is quite a range of species that pass over here, often stopping to roost. All are somewhat similar, there is usually more than one colour morph per species, often male/female variations and many of these take several years to mature and have slightly different plumages each year as they mature. I am usually satisfied to lump them into 'aquila/eagle type' (going on 2 metre wingspan) or 'buteo/buzzard type' (about one and half metre wingspan). Otherwise known as 'big brown jobs'

sporadic = better than occasional but unpredictable occurrence & not known if breeding in area