Archive for July, 2006
shaffer.biz/
Andrzej Dyrcz Department of Avian Ecology, Wroclaw University, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wroclaw, Poland. E-mail: dyrcz@biol.uni.wroc.pl Key words: Tachycineta albilinea, Myozetetes cayanensis, Myozetetes similis, Mangrove Swallow, nesting. In March–May 1999, I conducted observations on breeding ecology of Rusty-margined (Myozetetes cayanensis) and Social (M. similis) flycatchers along the coast of the Barro Colorado Island located on an artificial lake Gatun. The lake was created during the building of the Panama Canal. The island, a nature reserve, has an area of 1642 ha. It is covered mainly with moist tropical forest. A few dozen pairs of Mangrove Swallows (Tachycineta albilinea) nested near the island. Nests were placed in cavities of dead trunks, trees and branches emerging from water around the island. Such nest sites are typical of the species although the swallows may breed also in nest boxes (Ricklefs 1971, Dyrcz 1984, Turner 1989). Both flycatcher species build domed nests, made predominantly of dead grasses, with a side entrance. During the study I monitored 97 active nests. In two of them, I found broods of the Mangrove Swallow. The first one was a nest of the Rusty-margined Flycatcher built on a single, small bush, growing in water some 10 m away from denser shore vegetation. The nest was located at a height of 110 cm above water level. About a dozen or more cm from the nest, there was an active nest of wasps. The first egg of the flycatcher was laid on 28 February. Of 3 nestlings, only one fledged on 7 April. Later, Mangrove Swallows built their own nest in this nest, and lined it with feathers. Egg laying started on 19 April. The clutch comprised 4 eggs; this is also the average value (n = 6) for this species on Barro Colorado in 1979 (Dyrcz 1984). Although hatchability was low in 1979 (62.5%; Dyrcz 1984) all eggs hatched. On 28 May, three young successfully fledged and one was found dead at the nest entrance. At the end of March, about 30 cm from the nest containing Mangrove Swallow brood, a nest of Social Flycatchers was built. One nestling of the Social Flycatcher left this nest at the end of May. So close neighbourhood of the two more or less evenly aged broods of these species seems quite unusual, considering the aggressive behaviour of Mangrove Swallows towards various species (including the Social Flycatcher), observed both in 1979 and 1999 on
GENERAL BIOLOGY Barro Colorado Island. The second case concerned a nest of the Social Flycatcher, which was built on the trunk of a big dead tree, emerging from water several dozen m off the shore. The nest, supported by the trunk and a huge liana, was placed c. 180 cm above water level. There were a few active wasps nests and a nest of Tropical Kingbirds (Tyrannus melancholicus) in the vicinity. Additionally, near the tree top, several active nests of Yellow-rumped Caciques (Cacicus coela) were built. The first egg of Social Flycatchers was laid on 27 March. About 10 April, three nestlings disappeared from the nest, presumably taken by a predator. On 20 April, I found in this nest a clutch of 4 eggs of the Mangrove Swallow with an incubating bird on it. This nest was also lined with feathers. The brood was destroyed by a predator about 9 May. In 1998, along the coast of the Barro Colorado Island, water level was exceptionally low and in many places many dead treetrunks and branches emerged from water. Many cavities were made available in those trunks and branches for Mangrove Swallows. In 1999, the situation was totally different. Water level was high and only single trunks emerged. Therefore, we may suspect that the shortage of breeding places forced Mangrove Swallows to breed in nests of tyrant flycatchers. Flycatchers nests seem to be much less safe place for breeding than a natural cavity. The described nests of Mangrove Swallows were placed near wasps nests, and one of them was in the vicinity of aggressive birds nesting nearby. Presumably, this increases natural cavities normally used by the Mangrove Swallow (unpub.). This may be beneficial enabling laying of larger clutches. According to Stewart & Robertson (1999), Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) lay smaller clutches in smaller nest boxes than in bigger ones. The microclimate of the nests of tyrant flycatchers described in this study must differ from that of natural cavities of Mangrove Swallows, however there is no such data. As far as I know, this is the first report of Mangrove Swallows nesting in domed nests of tyrant flycatchers. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I made the mentioned observations during the study of other bird species on Barro Colorado Island thanks to a grant from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. I would like to express my gratitude to this institution. REFERENCES Dyrcz, A. 1984. Breeding biology of the Mangrove Swallow Tachycineta albilinea and the Greybreasted Martin Progne chalybea at Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Ibis 126: 59–66. Ricklefs, R. E. 1971. Foraging behavior of Mangrove Swallows at Barro Colorado Island. Auk 88: 635–651. Stewart, L. M., & R. J. Robertson. 1999. The role of cavity size in the evolution of clutch size in Tree Swallows. Auk 116: 553–556. Turner, A. 1989. Swallows and martins of the world. Christopher Helm, London.
July 31st, 2006
outdoorcentral.com
Barn swallows and Cliff swallows build mud nests on man-made structures, but their insect-eating abilities make them a welcome summer visitor.
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Colorado is fortunate to be the summer home for many species of migratory birds, including several species of swallows, notably the barn swallow and cliff swallow. These small, industrious birds are chiefly known for two things: eating millions of insects each summer and building mud nests on the sides of buildings, bridges and man-made overhangs.
Swallows typically winter in southern climates, as far south as Central and South America. They return to Colorado and other northern states and provinces in spring – although legend of San Juan Capistrano states they return punctually in March, in Colorado it can be as early as February or as late as June, depending on the weather.
Particularly in Colorado’s resort areas, there are many buildings, condominiums, and vacation properties that often go unused between winter ski season and summer outdoor recreation season. During the mud season between April and June, the birds are often busy building and repairing nests. When the humans return from their annual migration for Colorado’s glorious summer weather, many management companies and homeowners spruce up their properties.
Barn swallows and cliff swallows can be differentiated by their distinct tails: the barn swallow has a sharply forked tail, while the cliff swallow has a square-shaped tail. Both barn swallows and cliff swallows build nests out of mud pellets that they carry in their mouths to a nest site protected by an overhang.
Barn swallows build open, cup-shaped nests. Cliff swallows build enclosed, gourd-shaped nests with a slightly downward facing entrance. It is easy to distinguish the species based on the nests alone: Barn swallows do prefer to have their nests several feet apart. However, Cliff Swallows tend to form large colonies and nests are often packed very close together.
The male begins the nest as a shelf adhered to a vertical surface. The pair continues the construction by building up the sides and bringing them together to form a roof. The typical nest, which contains as many as 1,000 mud pellets when finished, is lined with grasses and feathers.
Some people find mud-based swallow nests an unattractive decoration on the sides of buildings, but destroying an active nest and/or the young in the nest is illegal. Swallows, their nests and eggs are all protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and may not be destroyed while active. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows vacant nests to be destroyed, but nests with active birds, their young or the presence of eggs must be left alone. Otherwise, it is a violation.
“One building complex with the most swallow issues is immediately adjacent to the Dillon Reservoir. I have seen well in excess of 100 nests at one time on the building. This is quite a few swallows helping us with the mosquito population,” said Kirk Oldham, wildlife manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife. “But, there are two sides to the problem here. One side feels that the swallows are not being given a chance and would like to see citations written. The other side feels that they are simply pests, make a mess, and ruin the siding.”
Swallows are one of the most acrobatic of birds, but they eat insects almost constantly while in flight. For this reason, attracting swallows to a property may be one more positive step to managing insect pests. Oldham pointed out that Swallows’ tiny but gaping mouths capture hundreds of insects, including flying ants, termites, aphids, mosquitoes, crane flies and moths.
Insects make up, on average, 99.8 percent of the swallow’s diet.
“We’ve been doing a lot of work to educate the community about the benefits of the swallows, especially in the wake of West Nile Virus, which can be carried by mosquitoes. I can’t help but think that any species that feeds as voraciously on mosquitoes as swallows helps reduce the risk in addition to many other benefits,” Oldham said. “I have suggested that if the property managers need to remove old nests that they only remove those that are immediately above doorways, walkways, and places where visitors spend time.
It does not make sense to take down nests that are on the backsides and between the buildings. The birds can still nest, but may be encouraged to find places that are less visible to human visitors.” When nests are vacated, existing nests can be removed and swallows can be dissuaded from reusing areas by hanging netting where they are not welcome.
Some property managers have found a peaceful solution by creating specific areas where swallows are “allowed” to nest, adding a shelf, eaves or overhangs in an area that is away from main doors may encourage the birds to nest on locations where they are less of a nuisance.
“People who find a swallow nest near their front door or otherwise causing a problem may find that placing an artificial nest off to one side of the door or even on a different wall may be the surest way to coax the swallows to move,” Oldham said. Experts who have studied swallow relocation said the birds seem to prefer building on a vertical wall of rough wood, often on a small projection such as a protruding knot or nail.
Placing a piece of wood, particularly rough wood such as weathered barn wood, approximately 1 ½” from the building’s eave or overhang, appeals to swallows. The swallows seem to prefer to build right up near the ceiling. This likely helps them avoid predators and protects nests from wind and rain. Mud nests plastered on a wall cannot get wet or they will soon fail.
Swallows do not like continuous ledges or shelves, probably because predators, such as rats and mice, can easily reach the nest by crawling along such horizontal surfaces. Although barn swallows seem to prefer a distance of several feet between nests, they do tend to build nests near other swallows and birds will interact with others of their species. Since swallows tend to raise two to three broods each year and generally change to a new nearby nest with each brood, empty nests can be removed carefully once they are vacant. Creating a nearby shelf acceptable for nesting may encourage the birds to move towards a more agreeable location.
For more information on the International Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MTBA) of 1918, see
http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/migtrea.html
including range of fines and penalties for violations of the Act.
Photos on the web: for an unusual photo of a Barn swallow nest on a light bulb, go to
http://dnr.state.co.us/imagedb/images/1020.jpg
To see photos of Cliff swallow nests, go to
http://dnr.state.co.us/imagedb/images/1054.jpg and
http://dnr.state.co.us/imagedb/images/1055.jpg
July 28th, 2006
.ia.nrcs.usda.gov
Objective: To make students aware of swallows nesting at their school, teach them about the process of monitoring bird nests, and learn about bird behaviors. Materials: Sample Map of Swallow Census at the Palomarin Field Station Map of census area (your school) Clipboard Pens, pencils Duration: Background: Each year, Barn Swallows (BARS), Cliff Swallows (CLSW) and Tree Swallows (TRES), return from their wintering grounds in the tropics to North America to breed. The breeding season is typically March through July and at PRBO’s Palomarin Field Station the swallows that return build their nests under the eaves of our buildings. Barn and Cliff Swallows build nests made out of mud and Tree Swallows use hollowed-out cavities in trees or nest boxes placed around the Palomarin Field Station. Swallow nests at the field station are monitored weekly during the breeding season starting on April 1 and going through July. This type of nest monitoring can also be done at schools where many swallows tend to build their nests. It is an excellent way for students to learn about bird behavior, how birds build nests, and how to monitor a nest. Procedure:
week Monitoring Swallow Nests 1. Begin monitoring nests weekly in the beginning of April and continue through the end of the school year.
2. As a class, research Barn and Cliff Swallows. Generate a discussion about the types of nest each swallow builds (for Barn and Cliff Swallows) and how they build them. Ask students if they have seen any of these nests around the school. Other questions to research: • How many eggs do Barn and Cliff Swallows lay (clutch size)? • How long do the eggs need to be incubated before they hatch? • How long will the nestlings (babies) stay in the nest before they are ready to fledge (leave the nest)? These are great questions to get students thinking about swallow nests and the swallows they have observed around their school. 3. After the discussion, have students draw a map of the school or provide one for them. This only needs to be a simple outline drawing of the layout of the school for this activity. Pass out a copy to each student of the example Swallow Census map from the Palomarin Field Station included with this activity.
4. Have students place their single blank map of the school onto a clipboard. Next locate the Barn and Cliff Swallow nests under the eaves of the school buildings. Find an area to observe the swallows and their nests where they will not be bothered by the students’ and your presence. When monitoring nests you want to prevent high levels of stress in the parents. 4. Draw the nests onto the maps and label them either Barn (BARS) or Cliff Swallow (CLSW). Then observe specific nests to determine whether they are still being built, have eggs, or nestlings. Determining if the nests have eggs will be the most difficult to do because you will not be able to see inside the nests. Although, the parents’ behavior may give you clues to whether they have eggs or nestlings. If the parents are acting upset, flying around you and making a lot of noise, then they probably have eggs or nestlings. This also should tell you that you are too close to the nests and should move your
If the parents have food (insects) in their mouths while flying to the nest and then leave the nest without food, this is a sure sign that they have nestlings. Other signs that a pair has nestlings are bird feces and egg shell fragments beneath the nest. 5. Once the nests are drawn on the maps and labeled, write whether they are building or what the contents of the nest may be (i.e., if you think they have eggs or nestlings) and any evidence of this. 6. Discuss what was observed with the students following your time outside each time the swallow nests are monitored. Extension Activities One problem that students have faced when trying to monitor swallow nests was that the nests were knocked down by school maintenance workers when cleaning the school grounds. • One solution to this problem is to make the school aware of the nests. There are nests being built, eggs being laid and hatched, and babies fledging all within a month right outside of the classrooms and offices! This is an exciting thing to see and be a part of. • Have students make informational posters about the swallows and their nests and why their nests should not be knocked down. Place them around the school. • If the students are ambitious, they could place posters around their neighborhoods to educate even more of the public about swallows and their nests. This project can be continued each year. Future classes will be able to compare number of pairs nesting at the school. Percent of change and graphs can be created and will be interesting for students to interpret.
Extension Activities One problem that students have faced when trying to monitor swallow nests was that the nests were knocked down by school maintenance workers when cleaning the school grounds. • One solution to this problem is to make the school aware of the nests. There are nests being built, eggs being laid and hatched, and babies fledging all within a month right outside of the classrooms and offices! This is an exciting thing to see and be a part of. • Have students make informational posters about the swallows and their nests and why their nests should not be knocked down. Place them around the school. • If the students are ambitious, they could place posters around their neighborhoods to educate even more of the public about swallows and their nests. • This project can be continued each year. Future classes will be able to compare number of pairs nesting at the school. Percent of change and graphs can be created and will be interesting for students to interpret.
July 28th, 2006
msnucleus.org
By late January, Tree Swallows begin arriving in Central Park to find a place to nest and raise their young. Tree Swallows search out old trees and snags with woodpecker holes near open marshes, lakes and streams to build their nests. They will also use nest boxes as a place to raise their young.
As you walk around Lake Elizabeth, look towards the island. You will see Tree Swallows circling over the island and flying back and forth over the lake in search of insects. Tree Swallows are aerial feeders. They forage over land and water. swerving and dipping to feed on midges, gnats, horseflies, ants, moths, grasshoppers, dragonflies, mayflies and mosquitoes; all of which breed in an open water environment such as marshes and lakes. These insects are an abundant food source for the swallows.
The Nest boxes are located on the island, along the southeast shore adjacent to Mission creek, and in Stivers Lagoon. A large majority of these boxes were built by Fremont Resident Robin Yount. Students from Irvington High School working on their Benchmark Project have been active in monitoring the boxes to find out the role that Tree Swallows play in their environment. Students are encouraged to contact Sandy Ferreira if they are interested in monitoring these nest boxes in the future.Â
  The Tree Swallow nest box project benefits the community in many ways. Park visitors enjoy watching the aerial feeders dip and dive, foraging over land and Lake Elizabeth in search of insects. Swallows consume large quantities of bugs such as mosquito, gnats, and midges and serve as a natural environmental pest control.
July 27th, 2006
nps.gov
One of the most significant bird species in North America uses Carlsbad Cavern as a summer nesting home. The cave swallow, a close relative of the cliff swallow, can be seen from early February to late October (sometimes even November) nesting just inside the entrance to Carlsbad Cavern. The swallows provide entertainment for visitors by chattering, swooping, and making spectacular dives into and around the mouth of the cave.
Habitat and Range
The cave swallow is a permanent resident of Mexico. Currently it is expanding its range northward into the United States. The primary nesting sites chosen by the birds are caves, however they sometimes occupy bridges and similar structures. Unlike the cliff swallow, the cave swallows’ nest is not fully enclosed. It is shaped like a small half-cup; it is constructed of mud and plant fibers, and lined with feathers.
The colony of cave swallows at Carlsbad Cavern is probably one of the northernmost colonies of cave swallows in the United States. It is also probably the largest, no one knows for sure. A migratory species, the cave swallows usually arrive at Carlsbad Cavern in the early spring, and depart for wintering grounds by late fall.
History
Cave swallows were first found nesting in undeveloped caves in the Slaughter Canyon area in the 1930. They were rediscovered in June 1952. In 1966, three nesting pairs of cave swallows arrived at Carlsbad Cavern and made their nests just inside the entrance. Since then the population has increased to an estimated 2,000 birds. Although the colony varies in size from year to year, it is the largest known colony of this species in the United States.
Each nest usually contains from two to five eggs, which are laid in mid-May. The young birds are able to fly about 20-23 days after they have hatched. After reaching maturity the swallows appear to return to Carlsbad each summer for the rest of their lives. However, this information has not been proven, and research is ongoing.
The cave swallows share Carlsbad Cavern with the cave’s large summer Mexican free-tailed bat colony. The bats, however, roost considerably further into the cave than the swallows. The birds are daytime flyers, feeding primarily on insects. Both colonies seem to co-exist without difficulty.
A Continuing Study
In 1980, an extensive banding project was initiated by a local researcher. Its purpose is to learn more about the birds and research their winter range.
July 27th, 2006
San Francisco Gate
7/1/2006
Susan Lyte King, Special to The Chronicle
Saturday, July 1, 2006
was an odd child with a fascination for birds. My most fervent wish was to have a Bird Nest Museum to display the nests I carefully collected from neighbors’ rooftops, treetops, public buildings, telephone poles and other perilous venues.
My dream came to an abrupt and painful end when my father returned from work and discovered that I had begun excavating the dichondra in the backyard to create a future staging ground for swallows and other mud dwellers. My friends were those who shared, or at least tolerated, my passion. When Lisa Cunningham confided in me that she discovered a hummingbird nest on the slender limb of her patio tree, we became fast friends. We oohed and aahed together, observing the gossamer spiderwebs that anchored the mossy thimble to the branch. We sat patiently for hours, hoping to catch sight of an emerald blur.
But it was fall, and the brood had come and gone. So we hacked the branch from the tree, and Lisa gave it to me. I tucked it under my bed, awaiting the construction of my Bird Nest Museum. Then we weren’t friends anymore.
I saw no danger in scaling telephone poles, the better to view tree-top bird nests. Even today, the smell of creosote triggers a bird’s-eye memory of Karen Tranklas’ bamboo trees.
When I realized that the shortest path to my favorite thicket of trees was across my neighbor’s lawn, I simply steered my bike over their grass enough times to etch my own shortcut.
I spent endless hours perched high in the treetops, eating my tuna fish sandwich while peering through the leaves. I rescued countless chicks that had tumbled from their nests. Those with bald, transparent skin never made it, even when warmed by my desk lamp. The older fledglings seemed to do well for a day or even a week, but generally they died, too. But I kept trying.
Obsessed, yes; single-minded, no. I did have other interests. For a while, I liked to crawl along the edge of our bushes, eating chipped beef and pretending that I was a rabbit. That was a blessedly short phrase.
Apparently, I was also the self-appointed president of the Bible Prayer Club. I know this because I recently discovered a faded card festooned with stickers of lily-draped crosses. It announced the club’s formation and lists the members — all two of them. My pliable younger sister served as vice president, a token title I bestowed to make up for the way I bossed her around. The club was short-lived, I’m sure, because I don’t even remember it; most likely, I invented it in a childish scheme to justify my incessant prayers for a Bird Nest Museum or at least more bird nests to tuck under my bed.
So, I abhor chipped beef, I don’t do Bible clubs, but I still love birds.
I keep binoculars on the kitchen table to view the visitors in our yard. Right now, a phoebe flits across the swimming pool, touching down briefly to snag a bug. Tiny goldfinches cluster around the thistle seed feeder. Just yesterday, a sharp-shinned hawk perched several feet away, surveying innocent prey. And from over the fence, the trill of red-winged blackbirds pierces the summer air.
The Bird Nest Museum was never constructed, but no matter: I built it in my mind. There it houses an irreplaceable collection of adventures and images. Silk-webbed hummingbird nests. The scent of creosote. Frantic bike rides home with a fledgling nestled in my Stingray’s woven basket. The plaintive coo of the mourning dove echoing through the gray light of dawn. And watching this year’s brood on their maiden flights, heralds of summertime.
E-mail comments to home@sfchronicle.com.
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July 26th, 2006
Victoria Times Colonist
(Registration Required)
7/11/2006
Sarah Petrescu, Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, July 11, 2006
WHAT: Concert in the Barn at Penfold Farm
WHERE: Penfold Farm, 1444 Maple Bay Rd., Duncan
WHEN: Sunday, July 9
FOR MORE INFO: 250-746-8654
- - -
With its country-barn setting, surrounding gardens and winding-drive location, the concert at Penfold Farm was more of a total experience than a performance.
Concert-goers sat on haystacks and lawnchairs in the cool shade of the converted Maple Bay Road barn for the Sunday afternoon show featuring Austria’s greatest composers and five first-rate string players.
Farm musk was thick in the air, a family of swallows dove in and out of their nest high in the wood rafters, and a modest stage was strung with white lights and lanterns.
It’s a casual setting to hear “serious” music, but intimate enough that it is not distracting. It was also clear from the packed house and nods and waves that these were dedicated fans.
Despite the open-air concept, the sound was surprisingly good, even uniquely so.
In Schubert’s Rosamunde String Quartet Opus 29 in A minor, Joyce Ellwood’s cello playing reverberated with an earthy richness not heard in a concert-hall setting. Each instrument was piercingly clear, though the volume was low in the rickety barn, which made utter quietness in the audience essential and the squawking swallows not-so-quaint by the end of the first piece on the program, a selection from Haydn’s The Emperor quartet in C Minor Opus 76, No. 3.
In the second half of the concert, Mozart was honoured (in light of the 250 anniversary of his birth in Austria) with the Quintetto VI for 2 violas K.516, featuring Ellwood, violinists Muge Buyukcelen and Mariana Lorens, and violists Mieka Kohut and Donna Robertson. Seeing five talented women play this music together was especially profound — given that female musicians had been shut out of professional performance for most of the time since the composer’s era. Only in recent decades have women had the opportunity to earn a full place in orchestras around the world.
The concert at Penfold Farm is part of a series, organized by illustrator Ken Hicks. Hicks runs the successful summer series, now in its sixth year, almost entirely by word of mouth, with no outside financial support or major advertising. The key to this concert series is nabbing tickets before they sell out. During intermission, Hicks had a lineup of people wanting to buy tickets to his next shows, which include Russian composers on Aug. 6, and German composers on Sept. 3.
July 26th, 2006
Times of Malta
19 hours ago
Natalino Fenech
Four young swallows raised in a mud nest in a garage complex at Tas-Sellum, Mellieha, have fledged and left the nest in the middle of last week after hatching on July 7.
Another pair of swallows have bred somewhere in Xaghra, as a family party of two adults and three fledged young were seen at Ta’ Gajdoru, Xaghra, on July 4 and on the following day.
In a way, it was quite a miracle that the Mellieha swallows fledged. The site they chose for their nest was a very unusual one as it was built against a concrete beam inside a corridor that serves as a driveway for garages. The swallows were making their way through one of the shafts and literally had to dive down the height of three storeys in the narrow shaft to find their way into the corridor where the nest was situated. When the birds hatched, one of the owners of the flats overlying the garages decided to install a screen as a sun shade in the shaft, unknowingly blocking the swallows’ passageway.
But the birds started using another shaft as well as the driveway, which they had not been seen using before.
The area adjacent to the garages is a construction site and workmen were taking their break in the same corridor the swallows were using. The workmen were fully aware of the swallows’ nest and in no way did they molest them. Very often, they sat and watched the swallows coming in to feed their young.
Garage owners noticed the birds flying above their heads but some of them were not even aware of the nest.
The breeding swallows were first noticed by Michael Sammut, a most active birdwatcher. The managing warden of the Ghadira nature reserve, Charles Gauci, had been observing a pair of birds feeding together and collecting feathers to line their nest from the islands at the reserve.
The ones nesting in Gozo were first observed by veteran ornithologist Joe Sultana.
Individual pairs of swallows have nested in Malta from time to time. In 1974, a pair had bred in an old farmhouse in Mqabba. Another pair raised two broods in the Buskett area in 2004. A pair must have bred somewhere again last year as a family party of six, four very recently fledged young and two adults, was seen at Ghadira last August.
July 26th, 2006
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune - Jul 12 12:14 PM
Q In early July, I noticed that house sparrows had moved into the nests of the cliff swallows on the west side of our building at work. Swallows occupied most of the nests through June, but after July 4, sparrows resided in most of them. Did the sparrows evict the swallows, or did the swallows have time to fledge their young, then abandon the nests?
By The Minnesota Ornithologists Union
Last update: July 12, 2006 – 1:38 PM
Q In early July, I noticed that house sparrows had moved into the nests of the cliff swallows on the west side of our building at work. Swallows occupied most of the nests through June, but after July 4, sparrows resided in most of them. Did the sparrows evict the swallows, or did the swallows have time to fledge their young, then abandon the nests?
A Because of the timing, it is difficult to say whether the nests were abandoned before the house sparrows moved in or the sparrows took over the nests.
Cliff swallows are a protected native species that begin breeding in May and breed into July. They have one or two broods.
House sparrows will use the nests of both cliff swallows and barn swallows. Sometimes house sparrows fight for the nests and kill the young cliff or barn swallows. Sometimes they move in after the young have fledged.
However, recent research suggests that house sparrows do significant damage to barn swallow nesting colonies. In Maryland, sparrows reduced the fledging success rate of one barn swallow colony by 45 percent.
Why birds form a mob
Q I’ve seen groups of crows or blackbirds dive-bomb a hawk. Why do they do that?
A The behavior, called mobbing, is very common among crows.
Crows mob hawks and owls because they perceive these birds to be a threat. And it’s true that hawks have been known to kill crows — sometimes even when being mobbed — by flipping over to strike out at an attacking crow with their powerful feet and talons. That’s why crows are careful to stay above and behind a hawk when mobbing.
Other birds that frequently chase or mob hawks are Eastern kingbirds, blue jays and red-winged blackbirds. Like crows, jays usually mob a hawk or owl with many loud attackers, while single kingbirds and blackbirds typically give chase one bird at a time. Even some small birds, such as chickadees and nuthatches, will mob owls to protect themselves and their young.
This column is prepared by Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union (MOU) members Mark Alt and Anthony Hertzel. To ask questions for this column, call 612-673-4363 and leave a brief message. Or e-mail birds@stribmail.com. Questions will be answered in the newspaper only. For information about the MOU write to: Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union, Bell Museum, 10 SE. Church St., Minneapolis, MN 55455.
July 25th, 2006
Tom Meyer
Bonanza staff writer
July 23, 2006
North Lake Tahoe Bonanza - Jul 23 3:03 AM
For the staff at the Biltmore Tahoe Lodge and Casino, the outdoor break area is a place to take a deep breath, enjoy a smoke, make a phone call, or grab a quick meal before heading back to the floor. For a pair of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) and their four hungry chicks, however, the Biltmore’s break room serves as a studio suite.
“They just started hanging out in here when it got cold last month,” said Tom Krueger, a blackjack dealer at the casino.
Shortly after discovering the area, the swallows, nicknamed “Empha” and “Zima”, started building a nest.
But as the waste piled up someone removed the nest.
Shortly after the pair of birds began rebuilding (as swallows are apt to do), casino officials learned about the swallows’ federally protected status and decided to leave the birds alone.
Now, a converted cardboard box serves as a waste catch, and a sign informs staff that it is illegal to destroy the nest or disturb the family.
Swallows are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which makes it a crime to “pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, possess, sell, purchase (or) ship …any migratory bird, included in the terms of this convention”.
According to materials provided by Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, free permits to remove swallow nests can be obtained from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. These permits are difficult to come by officials said, and removal of a swallow nest without a permit is a misdemeanor and can result in both fines and jail time.
This isn’t a swallow family’s first time in regional news -recently, a family of swallows delayed a roof replacement at the Lake Tahoe Airport.
But their presence does have much benefit as well officials said.
“[Nesting] parents will bring each of their young up to 1,000 mosquitos a day,” said Cheryl Millham, executive director of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.
Indeed, Biltmore blackjack dealer Debbie Hutchins said that she “noticed fewer insects” in the area since the swallows joined the water cooler chat.
To receive more information about swallows and the laws protecting them, contact Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care at (530) 577-2273, or visit its Web site at www.ltwc.org. To learn about applying for a nest-removal permit, visit www.fws.gov/pacific/mbsp.
Staff writer Tom Meyer can be reached at 831-4666 ext. 112 or at tmeyer@tahoebonanza.com.
July 25th, 2006
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