Maagan Michael Birdwatching Park – Visitor Guide

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel offers tours at Maagan Michael Birdwatching Park. Join us to learn what to expect!

Map

Maagan Michael Birdwatching Park is south of the kibbutz of the same name, which is situated on the coast between Caesarea and Atlit.

You can park at the “Tourism Parking Lot.” From there, it is about a five-minute walk to the Maagan Michael Birdwatching Park.

Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit

Interactive map of the area:

Parking

Free parking. At the parking lot, you will see signs to the Birdwatching Park.

Entrance Fee

You can enter the Birdwatching Park only as part of a tour. You can book a tour on the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel’s website.

I booked tickets about 2 months in advance, and the price was 45 NIS per person (prices may vary by tour type).

Opening Hours

There are tours available at different times, including sunrise, morning, and day tours. You will see more animals in the morning or evening, so I recommend those times.

We joined a morning tour for families that began at 9:30 and ended at noon.

When is the best time to visit Maagan Michael Birdwatching Park?

Some birds inhabit these pools year-round, while others visit only during migration. To see the most species, I recommend visiting during migration season, typically March–April and October–November.

Walking Tours at Maagan Michael Birdwatching Park

We parked in the parking lot and walked a few minutes to the birdwatching center, where we met our guide.

Each family received a pair of binoculars along with a leaflet detailing the bird species found in this area.

Tip: Arrive early to secure a good pair of binoculars.

Viewpoint

We began our visit at a viewpoint. Our guide told us about the history of this region, including how the land changed from swamps to agricultural areas and later to fish ponds.

From this viewpoint, you can see Taninim Stream Nature Reserve, the pools, and the sea. Here are several photos:

Note: There is a metal fence between Taninim Stream Nature Reserve and Maagan Michael Birdwatching Park. So you cannot pass between them.

At the Pools

From the viewpoint, we headed to the pools. We explored several pools, climbed to a viewpoint, and then returned. We walked for nearly two hours and covered approximately 2 kilometers. Most of the time, we either stood or sat while our guide explained various types of animals, with a particular focus on water birds. Here are some of my photos:

As shown in the photos above, most fish pools have stretched ropes above them. These ropes are meant to prevent large birds, mainly pelicans, from landing.

Movie

Our visit ended with a short film that provided more details about this place.

Tractor-drawn wagon Tour

After participating in the walking tour, I wanted to show this place to my parents, so I ordered tickets for the tractor-trailer tour.

Note: The entrance fee for this tour is higher: 85 NIS per person.

This tour was similar to the walking tour. We started by watching a short movie. After the film, we received binoculars and headed to the tractor. The tractor took us along the pools, and we stopped at several places, including for short walks.

The Pros:

• Since you are sitting in a tractor-trailer, you can cover more ground, and it requires less effort. Hence, it is especially suited for families with small children and elderly people.

The Cons:

• We sat in the back of the trailer and didn’t hear any explanations. At Agamon Hula, the guides have microphones, and there are speakers along the trailer. So it does not matter where you sit.
• Though the tractor can cover more ground, it does not stop at request. It stopped only several times, and it was not always in the places with the biggest amounts of birds.
• This tour is more expensive.

Overall, this tour is convenient and suitable for people with limited mobility. However, at the end of the day, I saw and photographed fewer birds on this tour than on the walking tour. Thus, I would prefer walking.

Here are several photos from that visit:

Additional Birdwatching Places

If you love birds, check out the following places:

• My favorite places to see bird migration:
  • Agamon Hula
  • Viker Lookout
  • Pelican Migration in Emek Hefer
  • Flamingo Migration in Israel
• Lovely short family hikes to see birds:
  • Agamon Poleg – Short Birding Family Trip around Lake Udim
  • Agamon Hefer – Visitors Guide – Bird Watching Park near Netanya
  • Hod HaSharon Park – Park by Ecological Lake
  • Taninim Stream Nature Reserve
  • Hula Nature Reserve and Agamon Hula versus Hula Nature Reserve – Which one is Better?
  • Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center
  • Ein Afek Nature Reserve and Bird Ringing at Ein Afek Nature Reserve
  • Maagan Michael Birdwatching Park
• For people who love parrots:
  • Parrot Farm in Kfar Hess

Additionally, see Zoos and Aquariums in Israel‎ – Full Review (Overview of 30+ places)

Summary

We will start with the positives. You gain access to a place that is otherwise inaccessible. There are many birds, and the guide was knowledgeable. We also got binoculars and watched a movie.

The main drawback is that the entire area is open, so birds can spot you from a distance, making it hard to approach them. Additionally, since the trails are mostly paved, many visitors tend to wander off on their own, including some from our group and others from different groups. This meant someone ahead of us on the trail had often already scared away any nearby animals. Most birdwatching parks address this issue by using birdwatching huts, wooden fences, or dense greenery. While it might not be feasible to implement these solutions near the fish pools, adding several birdwatching huts and incorporating greenery around the restored lake could be practical.

Also, the tour lasted 2.5 hours. This was too long for my kids.

Overall, it was a lovely experience, and if you love birds, I would suggest registering for a tour.

Have you ever been to the Maagan Michael Birdwatching Park? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!

Stay Tuned!

To learn more about animals in Israel, see the following categories: birds and animals.

Additional Resources

Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:

• Trip Planner with Attractions and Itineraries is the page that will help you create your perfect travel route.
• What is the Best Time to visit Israel? To answer this question, we will consider the weather, prices, holidays, festivals, and more.
• Information and Tips for Tourists to Israel will answer the most common questions tourists have about Israel (including safety, passports, weather, currency, tipping, electricity, and much more).
• Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves include a complete list, top ten, map, tickets (Israel Pass, Matmon, combo), and campsites.
• If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, Akko (Acre), Eilat, Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), and Makhtesh Ramon.