Navigating conflict: Pelican tracking aims to reduce bird-aircraft collisions

Israel’s location at the crossroads of three continents makes it a critical stopover for birds traveling between breeding grounds in Europe and Asia and wintering areas in Africa.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israel’s northern skies are bustling, with pelican migration overlapping with Air Force missions in Lebanon and Syria.

To prevent bird-aircraft collisions, the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority and Air Force on Sunday embarked on the most extensive bird-monitoring effort in the nation’s history, equipping 30 pelicans with transmitters to track their migration routes.

“Our skies are among the busiest in the world for both birds and airplanes,” said Ohad Hatzofa, an avian ecologist with the Nature and Parks Authority. “This naturally creates conflicts between the two.”

Israel’s location at the crossroads of three continents makes it a critical stopover for birds traveling between breeding grounds in Europe and Asia and wintering areas in Africa.

Each year, hundreds of millions of birds from over 500 species pass through Israel.

In recent years, large birds like pelicans frequently trigger radar systems, raising alarms over potential unidentified flying objects.

This year, with Israeli airspace particularly congested — in the past year, the Air Force has logged over 11,000 takeoffs for strikes in Lebanon — these misidentifications could pose serious threats to both pilots and wildlife.

“The data we collect will provide invaluable insights into their behavior and help mitigate risks,” Hatzofa explained.

Israel plays a critical role in the migration of common pelicans, a species facing mounting threats as their natural habitats shrink.

“Fall 2024 is the peak of the pelican season,” noted Dr. Yariv Malihi, Central District Ecologist at the Nature and Parks Authority.

“They stop here to feed before continuing their journey. As their habitats in places like Turkey dry up or become unsafe due to hunting, Israel has become one of their last refuges.”

Recognizing the pelicans’ vulnerability, Israel has taken steps to protect these majestic birds. The Nature and Parks Authority, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, stocks water bodies with non-edible fish.

This strategy provides vital nourishment for the pelicans while reducing conflicts with fish farms.

For the Air Force, tracking the pelicans is a matter of safety and operational efficiency.

“Accurately predicting the pelicans’ migration routes allows us to avoid dangerous overlaps between their paths and our flight operations,” said Dr. Yotam Orhan, Head of the Ecology and Ornithology Section at the Air Force.

This year has seen over 40,000 pelicans migrate through Israel, with around 2,300 currently present. However, their stay has been notably shorter — about 40% less than in previous years. “We still don’t know why,” said Dr. Amit Dolev, an ecologist in the Northern District of the Nature and Parks Authority.

“This is one of many questions we hope to answer through our ongoing monitoring efforts.”

The transmitters provide a wealth of information, enabling researchers to pinpoint key feeding and resting areas. This data will guide future conservation and operational strategies.

Common pelicans are listed as vulnerable in many parts of their range, and Israel’s waterways serve as the pelicans’ last major stop before they embark on a grueling journey across the Sinai and African deserts to their wintering grounds in East Africa.