Barn owl project team
Yossi Leshem
Yossi Leshem, Emeritus Professor at Tel Aviv University's School of Zoology and former CEO of the Israeli Society for the Protection of Nature, has been active in avian research and conservation since 1971. Yossi founded the national project of Barn Owl Biological Control in 1982. Today, he is dedicated to expanding the project to neighboring countries, working on behalf of the Hoopoe Foundation, a central partner in the initiative. Yossi resides in Har Gilo (since 1971) and is the founder and manager of the Latrun International Research Center for Migratory Birds.
Yoav Motro
Yoav, a zoologist in Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture, is responsible for mitigating animal damage to agriculture, preferably in an environmentally friendly fashion. During his PhD, Yoav studied the agricultural benefits of biological rodent pest control using Barn Owls. As the project leader on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, he proudly monitors the decreasing levels of pesticide use.
Itai Bloch
Itai is a PhD candidate at the University of Haifa, studying bird movement and behavior. He joined the Barn Owl project in 2018 as the coordinator for the Sharon region and is currently the national coordinator and scientific authority. Itai is enthusiastic about contributing to the project and promoting biological pest control.
Beni Meir
Beni is a retired travel guide and zoologist. He is highly experienced in skull taxonomy and pellet analysis and is the author of the "Guide for Skulls of Small Mammals in Owl Pellets in the Mediterranean Region."
Miron Shiffer and Gal Sahar
Miron and Gal grew up together in the cotton fields. Meron, a certified biologist, manages the cotton operation in their home settlement, while Gal is a musician and instrumentalist. Both farmers and nature lovers joined the Barn Owl project in 2021 and oversaw nest box monitoring in the fields of Western Galilee. They are assisted by their children Almog and Agam Shiffer, and Nir Sahar, who also work in the cotton fields and were highly active throughout last season. The whole family enjoyed the season and are looking forward to future activities.
Uria Sade
Uria is an avid naturalist and animal enthusiast, born and raised in the Golan Heights. His growing interest in birds over the past few years led him to join the Barn Owl project in 2019, and he has been coordinating operations in the Golan and Upper Galilee ever since. Uria strongly believes in biological pest control and enjoys his role in the project.
Kobi Merom
Kobi "Barn Owl" Merom has been a birder and bird-ringer for over 40 years. He is the longest-serving coordinator in Israel and, as far as we know, the most experienced Barn Owl ringer in the world! Kobi resides in Nir-David and operates in the northern valleys, from Beit She’an Valley in the east to Carmel Mountain in the west. He maintains continuous contact with numerous farmers throughout the year, ensuring effective coordination and support for the Barn Owl project.
Shlomo Cain
Shlomo, born in Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, has been a nature and bird lover since childhood. His interest in birds began during his school days when he wrote about them in his final high school project, guided by Shaul Aviel and Dr. Yoav Motro. After a brief period dedicated to studying Israel’s sand scorpions for his master’s thesis, Shlomo returned to coordinate the Barn Owl project in Western Galilee. He is currently a PhD candidate in Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology, advised by Dr. Orr Shpigel and Professor Yossi Leshem. “My study deals with personality aspects of the Barn Owl movement and how they affect various ecological parameters (survival, home range size, etc.). I also explore whether these traits are heritable and passed from parents to offspring.” Shlomo's research is based in Harod Valley and Beit She’an, where he also serves as the regional coordinator.
Rami Haviv
Rami joined the project in 2012 and has since partnered with Kobi Merom in monitoring and coordinating the project in the northern valleys. He constructs and supplies Barn Owl nest boxes, lives in Nir-David and is passionate about the project.
Gideon Vaadia
Gideon, an ecology master’s student at Tel Aviv University, studies Griffon Vulture behavior to aid conservation efforts for this highly endangered species. An active field researcher, Gideon has been involved in several studies and conservation projects in recent years. He joined the Barn Owl project in 2018 and is currently coordinating the project’s activities in the Sharon region, Hefer, and Menashe valleys.
Yonatan Penn
Organic farmer and tour guide. As someone who knows the effectiveness of biological control, I have taken part in the project for many years as a farmer. In 2023 I joined the project as a regional coordinator. I really enjoy the combination of working with these wonderful wild animals and encouraging sustainable agriculture in our areas.
Yehonatan Harel
Yehonatan is a farmer specializing in field crops and a nature enthusiast. He has been involved in the Barn Owl project as a biological pest control consumer for over a decade and developed an interest in birding through his involvement in the project. Yonatan recently joined the project as a regional coordinator and hopes to introduce a farmer’s perspective to the project.
Tomer Karni
Tomer joined the national Barn Owl project in 2017 through his master’s research at Ben Gurion University. He has been coordinating the project’s southern activities since 2018.
Olga Chegin
Olga, from Kibbutz Holit, joined the Barn Owl project in 2020. She is energized and motivated by nature and enjoys hiking, observing, and photographing wildlife. In addition to her work with the project, Olga conducts rodent surveys in agricultural areas on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture. This combination of activities provides Olga with a comprehensive perspective on rodent damage and the available management options.
Adi Bashan
Organizes and produces seminars and review days, collects materials to create booklets, and manages the financial budgets. Adi loves animals, nature, and hiking and is proud to be part of the initiatives that help research and improve the quality of life for Barn Owls, agriculture, and food production.
