The Israeli winners receive their World Series of Birding medal
The Israeli winners receive their World Series of Birding medalSociety for the Protection of Nature in Israel

Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel birdwatchers participated in an international birding contest - and won first prize, for the third time in the past few years.

The 34th World Series of Birding was held on May 6 in New Jersey, and the annual contest is considered to be one of the world's most important and exclusive birding contests in the world.

During the contest, birdwatchers are required to identify as many types of birds as possible within a 24-hour period, within a given area at Cape May.

The Israeli bird-watching group consisted of Israel Ornithological Center Director Dan Alon, senior ornithologist Jonathan Meyrav, and senior American ornithologist Dr. Thomas Reed.

Reed joins the Israeli group on a regular basis.

The Israeli group, which took first place in both 2014 and 2015, identified 169 different species of birds during the allocated 24-hour period, nine more than the Cornell group which won second place.

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel initiated a similar project called "Birdlife," bringing bird-watchers from all over the globe to the Negev, Arava, and Eilat.