The Upper Galilee brought an unexpected surprise: Flocks of pink flamingos have chosen to remain at Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund’s Hula Lake, even through the hottest days of summer. For the first time, they have skipped their usual migration north.
Over the past decade, flamingos have gone from rare visitors to regular migratory birds in Israel. They are typically spotted at the Hula Lake during the transitional seasons of spring and fall, and in recent years, some have even begun staying through the winter.
Typically arriving from regions with saline lakes and algae-rich ponds, such as Turkey and Iran, flamingos are not usually drawn to freshwater habitats like Hula Lake. That’s what makes it all the more remarkable: Dozens of flamingos, including some juveniles, have remained in the park throughout the summer. This prolonged and unexpected stay defies both their migration pattern and habitat preference.
“Once again, it highlights how Hula Lake continues to surprise us and serve as a home to an extraordinary diversity of wild birds,” said Inbar Shlomit Rubin, field manager at the KKL-JNF Hula Lake. “The presence of flamingos in the lake is surprising in itself, but their decision to stay through the summer is especially unexpected. Every morning when we see them out in the field, our hearts swell. Maybe we’re truly witnessing a new era: cranes in the winter, flamingos in the summer.”
Yaron Charka, KKL-JNF’s chief ornithologist, stated that “the Hula Lake is a dynamic habitat that changes with the seasons and over the years. The rising presence of flamingos here, currently reaching a record of over 100 individuals, is part of these changes. We hope this trend continues to grow, as part of the pink future that awaits the lake.”
