Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center – Visitor Guide

Rosh Tzipor

Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center inside Ganei Yehoshua park in Tel Aviv offers several lookouts around an artificial pond. Moreover, since it is located not far from Sheva Tahanot, you can make a lovely hike in the park.

Map

Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center is located in Ganei Yehoshua park (also known as Yarkon Park) near the Yarkon and Ayalon rivers’ meeting point. And here is an interactive map of this area:

Parking

There is a nearby parking lot inside the park. And the entrance to this parking is from Rokach 78, Ramat Gan. And you can also look for parking on Rokach Street in Ramat Gan.

Opening Hours

Sunday – Saturday: 07:00 – 19:00 (17:00 during winter).

Note: Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center is open seven days a week.

Rosh Tzipor Opening Hours
Rosh Tzipor Opening Hours

Entrance Fee

Free.

About

The new bird-watching center in Rosh Tzippor Forest is located in the Ganei Yehoshua park in the heart of Tel Aviv, at the junction of the Ayalon and Yarkon rivers, and covers 8 acres of trees, green areas, streams, and ponds. The park includes a variety of habitats that attract birds of different species. Site visitors can follow the birds without disturbing their rest through the discreet observation hides built there.

Source: KKL

And here is a short video by KKL telling the story of Rosh Tzipor.

Yarkon Park

We started with a short walk in Yarkon Park. And inside the park, you can see different species of birds.

Cattle egret
Cattle egret

Note: if you wonder where the Yarkon river starts, see Yarkon National Park.

Yarkon Park
Yarkon Park

Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center

Entrance to Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center
Entrance to Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center
Rules of Conduct
Rules of Conduct

As you enter Rosh Tzipor, you will see that the trail splits into two. And each way leads to a viewpoint.

Rosh Tzippor
Rosh Tzippor

And inside the viewpoints, you can find information about animals in this park.

Animals in Ganei Yehoshua park
Animals in Ganei Yehoshua park
Animals and plants in Rosh Tzipor
Animals and plants in Rosh Tzipor

And here are several photos from the lookout located to the left of the entrance.

View from the first lookout at Rosh Tzipor
View from the first lookout
The pond and the second lookout at Rosh Tzipor
The pond and the second lookout at Rosh Tzipor
Birds in a distance
Birds in a distance
View from the second lookout at Rosh Tzipor
View from the second lookout
The Lookout
The Lookout
Rosh Tzipor pond
Rosh Tzipor pond
White Heron
White Heron

Rosh Tzipor is not a prominent place. And you can walk across it in less than five minutes. And we probably spent an hour there. But unfortunately, we did not see many birds in Rosh Tzipor. Thus we decided to take a walk in Ganei Yehoshua. And the first bird that we saw was the hoopoe.

Hoopoe – Israel’s National Bird

In May 2008, in conjunction with the country’s 60th anniversary, the hoopoe was chosen as Israel’s national bird.

Hoopoe
Hoopoe

President Shimon Peres announced the Hoopoe as Israel’s new national bird. The Hoopoe won an election held by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, which concluded on Thursday after months of voting. 155,000 people participated in the nationwide election.  

The Hoopoe (Photo: Israel Fichman)The road to choosing Israel’s national bird was long but entertaining. Last December, over 1,000 bird lovers participated in a seminar held at Tel Aviv University. They were asked to select 50 nominees for the title out of a long list of various candidates. That list was then narrowed down to the bulbul (Pycnonotidae), the red falcon, the goldfinch, the biblical vulture, the spur-winged plover, the honey-sucker, the warbler, the white-chested kingfisher, and the white barn owl.  

The Hoopoe raked in 35% of the votes nationwide and won first place in Ynet’s election with 20% of the net-surfer vote. Peres commended the election and said that “today more than ever, we need green scenery, fresh air, and the beautiful, multi-colored birds that flock here.” He added that “ornithology is one of the main assets of our small country.” The president also remarked that 500 million birds pass through Israel’s skies annually. “For such a small country, that’s a world record,” he concluded.  

Source: ynet

Hoopoe
Hoopoe

We headed to the nearby Palm viewpoint. From the top, you can see surrounding cities and Rosh Tzipor Forest.

Rosh Tzipor Forest

Palm viewpoint
Palm viewpoint

Rosh Tzipor Forest, which forms part of Ganei Yehoshua, extends over an area of about 500 dunams (approx. 125 acres) adjacent to the meeting point of the Yarkon and Ayalon rivers. The forest is planted mainly with eucalyptus and North Indian rosewood trees (Dalbergia sissoo). It takes its name from the fact that, when viewed on the map, this area has the shape of a bird’s head; of course, now that a birdwatching center has been included on the site, the label is even more appropriate. 

KKL-JNF began to plant this forest in the 1950s. Work continued in the 1980s, and with time transformed the site into an urban woodland. Two circular 2km routes, one for pedestrians, the other for bicycles, and other non-motorized forms of transport, make their way through the forest. KKL-JNF has also provided a square for events, a lookout point, and an adventure park, for which Ganei Yehoshua has supplied playground equipment. Rosh Tzipor Forest is home to the Seven Mills (Sheva Tahanot) site, where the most westerly of the flour mills driven by the waters of the Yarkon River until 1936 was discovered. Seven pairs of millstones found inside one of the buildings belonging to the flour mill give the site its name. On the edge of the forest is Tel Gerisa (Napoleon’s Hill), whose summit offers a magnificent view of the Gush Dan area.

Source: KKL

Rosh Tzipor Forest
Rosh Tzipor Forest
View from the Palm viewpoint
View from the Palm viewpoint
Rosh Tzipor Forest and Tel Aviv
Rosh Tzipor Forest and Tel Aviv

Since we wanted to make a circular trail, we headed to Bird Head Bridge near Ayalon highway.

Duck under Bird Head Bridge
Duck under Bird Head Bridge

The plan was to cross to the other side of the Yarkon river at the Bird Head Bridge and cross the river again at Sheva Tahanot.

On the other side of the Yarkon river
On the other side of the Yarkon river
Cormorants
Cormorants
Parakeet
Parakeet
Kingfisher
Kingfisher

On the way, we passed through Park Lake and the nearby TLV Balloon.

Park Lake at Yarkon Park
Park Lake at Yarkon Park
TLV Balloon
TLV Balloon
Boats at Park Lake
Boats at Park Lake

Our visit was during January, and when we reached Sheva Tahanot, we saw that the gates were closed. Sheva Tahanot was closed due to floods. Thus we had to retreat to Bird Head Bridge.

Sheva Tahanot
Sheva Tahanot

One last tip, when walking in Yarkon park, look above. You might think it is a simple lamp post, but you never know who is sitting on top of it.

At Yarkon Park
At Yarkon Park

Additional Birdwatching Places

If you love birds, check out the following places:

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

Summary

Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center is a lovely addition to Ganei Yehoshua park in Tel Aviv. And if you are planning a visit to Yarkon park, keep this place in mind.

Have you been to Rosh Tzipor Birdwatching Center? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

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

Stay Tuned!

For additional points of interest nearby, check out Tel Aviv.

   

Additional Resources

Here are several resources that I created to help travelers: And if you have any questions then check out Useful Information For Tourists To Israel.  
Did not find what you were looking for? Leave a comment below, and I will do my best to answer your questions.

Lev Tsimbler

Lev from israel-in-photos.com. You can contact me at hi@israel-in-photos.com

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