Most of the birds are common cranes, but these two are demoiselle cranes — a rare find in these parts. “They can’t sleep in the desert and can’t stop in southern Israel,” said Agmon ...

As Israel is at the peak of migration season, thousands of birds pass through each day and choose the Hula Valley as their resting grounds.

HULA VALLEY, Israel — The trees abutting the road ... Twice a year, hundreds of millions of birds — including cranes, pelicans, and storks — pass through the valley, in a normal year turning ...

Other countries have seen mass crane die-offs caused by bird flu, from Israel to Japan to Hungary, where an at least 10,000 and possibly 20,000 Eurasian cranes died in winter 2023.