Vulture Feeding Station in Katsrin — Live Webcam Online

Refuge for the Sky Scavengers on the Golan Heights

In northern Israel, amid rugged cliffs and basalt ledges, a unique vulture feeding station operates — a place where large birds of prey can find safe food. This live webcam transports the viewer directly to the Gamla Nature Reserve, near the town of Katsrin, where a quiet drama of wildlife unfolds every day. Vultures are among the most important sanitizers of the ecosystem, and here they can be observed without the slightest interference in their natural behavior.

Why the Golan Highlands

The choice of location for the feeding station is no accident. The vulture feeding station is located in the Gamla Nature Reserve on the Golan Heights — an area that historically served as a nesting range for several species of large scavengers. The Golan Heights represent a basalt volcanic plateau covering more than 1800 km², where elevations range from minus 212 meters in the rift valley to 2814 meters at the summit of Mount Hermon. Such elevation differences create ideal thermal currents on which vultures can soar for hours, expending almost no energy. Rocky cliffs and deep canyons provide safe nesting sites, while open areas allow the birds to spot the feeding station from afar.

Population Crisis and Rescue Mission

The feeding station was not created merely to attract tourists — it is a critical element of the local vulture rescue program. The griffon vulture population on the Golan Heights declined from 130 birds in 2006 to 20 in 2019 due to mass poisoning. The cause — pesticides and veterinary drugs that enter the birds' bodies through carrion. By consuming the carcasses of livestock treated with medications, vultures die from kidney failure. The feeding station was created to provide vultures with clean food, free from veterinary drugs and poisons, which helps maintain the population and prevent further extinction.

Who Comes to Feed

The main visitors to the station are griffon vultures and Egyptian vultures. The griffon vulture, or Griffon — the largest of the local scavengers with a wingspan of up to 2.8 meters. It is easily recognized by the distinctive white collar on its neck and powerful yellow bill. The Egyptian vulture is noticeably smaller, with contrasting black-and-white plumage and a wedge-shaped tail. These two species dominate the station, but the camera can capture other birds as well. Besides vultures, gray crows, black ravens, other birds of prey, and herons may visit the station, not missing the chance to grab a meal alongside the scavengers.

Scavenger Hierarchy: Order Without Fights

Watching the vultures feed is also fascinating because there is no chaotic scramble. Vultures do not fight over food, as they have a defined hierarchy among scavengers. Large griffon vultures approach first, opening the carcass with their powerful beaks. Then smaller species move in, picking up the remains. This system minimizes conflicts and allows feeding the maximum number of birds in one session. At the feeding station in Katsrin, this natural order is especially clear — the birds are accustomed to the schedule and appear in groups, almost as if on a timetable.

Connection to the Rehabilitation Center

The feeding station is not an isolated facility. The feeding station is located next to a vulture rehabilitation center, creating a unique continuous chain of care. Birds affected by poisoning, power lines, or collisions with vehicles undergo treatment at the center and then receive immediate access to healthy food right at the station. This is critical for captive-adapted individuals that need to regain strength before returning to the wild. The camera sometimes captures such birds — with numbered bands on their legs, by which scientists track their fate.

Geographic Range of Visitors

The feeding station in Katsrin attracts birds not only from the surrounding mountains. Vultures from the Golan, Carmel, Negev, and even the Balkans visit the feeding station throughout the year. Migrants from more northern regions stop here along their route, while local resident birds drop by regularly. Thanks to this, the composition of visitors changes depending on the season, and each day on the camera can bring a surprise — whether a pair of rare bearded vultures or a young Egyptian vulture making its first independent flight.

Landscape as a Stage for Vulture Life

The open rocky terrain broadcast by the live camera is a typical mountain dry landscape of the Golan Highlands. Stony scree, sparse shrubs, and sun-scorched slopes create an almost lunar landscape. It is precisely these conditions that vultures prefer for resting and digesting — on open rock they are less visible to predators, and rising warm air currents allow them to take off without extra effort. In the background of the frames, characteristic basalt formations are visible — solidified lava from ancient volcanoes that shaped this territory millions of years ago.

What You See on the Camera

The vulture feeding station camera covers an open rocky landing area where birds arrive during feeding. In the foreground, you can see gray griffon vultures with numbered identification bands — for example, a bird with marking A60 on its back, sitting on the dry rocky terrain. The background is a typical mountain landscape with sparse shrubby vegetation and basalt outcrops. The live webcam shows vultures strolling leisurely across the platform, freezing on rocks in resting poses, or soaring upward using thermal currents. This is a direct broadcast from the Gamla Nature Reserve — a window into the wild world of the Golan Heights, accessible to anyone who wishes to observe these majestic scavengers in their natural habitat.