Meet The Tagged Babblers!
Groups are dynamic, and group size is based on adults seen in autumn of 2022.
Click on the links below to see why we chose babblers as a study species, and which birds are currently tagged. Some birds have no photo and some of the photos are not the best. All photos were taken to get an accurate recording of time and date of tagging, so some photos are better than others :) The video below shows an example of a Babbler territory skirmish.
Why Babblers?
Why are we working on Babblers? They make an incredible study species to examine how land-use change may be affecting social bonds. The Arabian Babblers are famous for their use of cooperation to help cope in their desert environment, so if the environment is less harsh (like in areas near human-provided resources) are these bonds less strong?
A lot of our basic (and incredible) knowledge on the Arabian Babbler and its extremely complex social cooperation came from decades of research in the Arava valley. Read all about it on their website.
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Below: "Morning dance" done by groups of Babblers to reinforce social bonds.
Avdat (9 adults)
This group likely roosts down in Avdat canyon, but occassionally comes up to enjoy the resources in Ben-Gurion memorial Park.
64 - female
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Jan 19th 2023
58 - female
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Dec 22nd 2022
University (7-9 adults)
Roosting on campus, this group roams around the entirety of Midreshet Ben-Gurion
Currently no active tags, but we're working on it!
NewPlant (10 adults)
This group roosts in the back of the small olive grove, which they used to share with the Olives group before part of the grove was cut down. They forage in and around the grove.
55 - juvenile
Ringed as a nestling in spring 2022.
Tagged Nov 18th 2022
OldPlant (12 adults)
Roost in the old olive grove near the kibbutz, an area that has become a hotbed of activity due to irrigation. A lot of movement as some birds merged with Olives to form a "supergroup" , and spend the days battling Haroa, Sewage, and Isrotel.
44 - male
Ringed with Olives spring 2022.
Tagged Nov 27th 2022
47 - male
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Dec 1st 2022
46 - male
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Nov 19th 2022
Sewage (3 adults)
Our smallest group, the unfortunate name was given when their nests were found inside the water treatment facility.
40 - male (tail moulting)
Ringed as an adult spring 2022.
Tagged Nov 12th 2022
62 - female
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Jan 18th 2023
Haroa (7 adults)
Roosting one side or the other of the main highway, they forage in the picnic site and in the area beside the kibbutz. 57 was with this group, but recently joined the new Cemetery group in the Great Shift of 2023. This is our first "group tag" and is being used to examine full group movement dynamics.
69 - female
Ringed June 26th 2022
Tagged Jan 31 2023
86 - juvenile (young male?)
Ringed June 26th 2022
Tagged Jan 31 2023
87 - juvenile (young male?)
Ringed June 26th 2022
Tagged Jan 31 2023
89 - juvenile (young male?)
Ringed June 26th 2022
Tagged Jan 31 2023
90 - female
Ringed June 26th 2022
Tagged Jan 31 2023
95 - juvenile (young male?)
Ringed June 26th 2022
Tagged Jan 31 2023
Isrotel (5 adults)
Group with the highest mortality, they nest and roost inside the kibbutz, but have recently been coming into the old olive grove. The 4 adult females have stayed the same, but they have had a series of new males, probably due to predation.
50 - female
Ringed in spring 2022.
Tagged Dec 10th 2022
Cemetery (7 adults)
Roosting next to the nearby cemetery, this group forages mostly inside of the kibbutz. Recently most of the birds switched with some of Picnic, and 57 moved in from Haroa in the Great Shift of 2023
57 - female
Ringed June 15th 2022.
Tagged Dec 29th 2022
53 - male
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Dec 16th 2022
Tower (7 adults)
Roosting in the argan grove, this group covers a large area, including getting into the kibbutz.
61 - female
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Jan 12th 2023
SideCanyon (9 adults)
First group found down a side valley toward the canyon, they used to be much bigger until the AddamsFamily split off.
42 - male ("Douglas")
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Nov 18th 2022
65 - female
Ringed March 29th 2022.
Tagged Jan29th 2023
66 - female
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Jan29th 2023
Picnic (14 adults)
Our largest group (with an additional 6-8 juveniles), this group roosts in one of the picnic sites toward the road. They recently had a few birds join in the "new" Cemetery group and had a few birds from Cemetery join them in the Great Shift of 2023.
51 - male
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Dec 16th 2022
68 - juvenile
Ringed May 15th 2022
Tagged Jan 30th 2023
GreenYonder (6 adults)
Still a bit of a mystery, as they cross the road toward MerhavAm and only come down onto the open plateau on rare occasions.
54 - male
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Nov 18th 2022
73 - male
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Feb 5th 2023
Missing the feathers on the top of his head. He was first seen like this in May 2022 so while it looks strange he seems to be making it work!
Hazaz (8 adults)
Generally around MerhavAm and into the Wadi Hazaz, this group mostly spends it's time just west of MerhavAm.
59 - male
Unringed when caught.
Tagged Jan 8th 2023
