Have you heard about the bird that left the Nativity Church in Bethlehem?
The Nativity Church in Bethlehem, in the southern West Bank, was restored. Now the swift birds could no longer find shelter and nesting places in the cracks of its walls.
Swifts used to come from countries in the African continent, and the Indian subcontinent, to the church to nest, but the birds were disappointed by the restoration of the church. The cracks in the walls where they would build their nests were gone. Bird lovers from the city helped with a creative solution. They wanted Bethlehem to be a city of peace, love and safety for this migratory bird looking for food and shelter.
With the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, nesting boxes were affixed to the walls of the Terra Sancta College, near the Church of the Nativity. In addition, electronically operated loudspeakers were placed there to play bird sounds in order to attract the swifts to nest there.
Celebrating World Swift Day, which falls on June 7th each year, Mahmiyat.ps website shared a video. It shows the first stages of successful nesting in these boxes at the Terra Sancta College.
Globally, the site participated in international events celebrating this bird by registering the name Bethlehem, Palestine on the world map. Now Palestine will be one of the countries that contributes to the protection of birds, and the protection of the swift in particular, during its migration over Palestine.
For more details about the story of Bethlehem’s swift, entitled, “Swift of Bethlehem”,
visit the link:
https://www.mahmiyat.ps/articles/7825.html
To view the global events on this occasion through the map: