Bird from Arctic Circle sighted in Israel for first time in 40 years

The long-tailed duck, not seen in Israel for 40 years, was spotted on Friday in the country’s north, according to the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.

Birdwatcher Guy Shavit sighted a female long-tailed duck, named “ice mallard” in Hebrew, at a wastewater reservoir near Kibbutz HaGoshrim in the Galilee Panhandle.

Following the ceasefire that took effect on the night of April 16, many birdwatchers flocked to the area, which just a day earlier had been under heavy fire from Lebanon, to observe the rare visitor, the nonprofit stated.

“The long-tailed duck breeds in the Arctic Circle. Its regular range is northern Europe and North America,” explained Yoav Perlman, director of the SPNI Birding Center.

This species has been recorded in Israel only five times before, between 1979 and 1986. All sightings until now were in Eilat.

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority stated that national parks across the country, which were closed due to the war with Iran and Hezbollah, will gradually open for visitors in the coming days, according to Hebrew-language daily Maariv.

State authorities are scanning trails and open fields to ensure that no unexploded ordnance remains in the area, according to the report.