Birds of Jerusalem

I'm very much a low-skilled bird-watcher, despite the best efforts of some of my family to educate me in that noble pastime. But at least they've managed to instil in me some awareness of our avian friends and ensured that I can recognise some of the more common species and make good guesses about others.

So here are the bird species I've managed to notice and identify here in Jerusalem and its environs (please note that only one of the photos is mine). I saw a number of other species on my recent trip to Galilee; but this post would become too big if I included them as well.

Palestinian sunbird

(the national bird of Palestine and my personal favourite)

Yellow-vented bulbul

Syrian woodpecker

Laughing dove

(I thought these birds, a common sight, would be turtle doves, which are

frequently mentioned in the Bible. But no. I have yet to spot a turtle dove.)

But I have seen this more classical-looking white dove,

which is apparently a breed of the ringneck dove

(NB. This is the only photo taken by me, appropriately enough close to the place of Jesus' baptism)

Plenty of ordinary feral pigeons

Parakeet

(you get these in London as well)

Hooded crow

Eurasian jay

Starlings

Pied wagtail

Kestrel

(I haven't seen any in Jerusalem itself, but saw one on the way to Bethlehem)

Last, but not least, the humble sparrow - to be seen in numbers everywhere, they are a reminder of the Father's love (Matthew 10:29)