Did you know barn swallows are endangered?

I didn't know this until a few years ago. We have noticed a great decrease in numbers since the 80s and more so within the last 15 years. Currently, we have 4 birds. We used to have a lot more. We used to have tree swallows, but no more. I am not sure where the barn swallow's nests are, but I will not knock them down if I find them!

I am aware that in southern BC, Canada, that an RCMP horse barn (Musical Ride barn) has many of these birds and has set up a conservation program for the birds.

I would hate for them to disappear.

One thing we have noticed this year due to the decreased spray so far this year in our general area, is more insects & birds, including one we haven't seen before. The odd weather last fall & this spring did have an upside for wildlife. I never thought that I would ever see decreased spray!

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Comments

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    We have a good number at the barn where I board Cigar. There's a nest near his stall that will have to come down. Built near an electrical outlet. Fire Hazard, unfortunately.

  • seeker.nancy - Central Texas
    seeker.nancy - Central Texas Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭

    We have quite a few here, and they like to nest on the corners of the porch roofs. A flycatcher co-opted a nest last year and I have to say - they are much calmer, quieter, and really hunt in my garden more than the barn swallows lol. There is still a nest on the front porch that is in use. They are a beautiful bird with amazing acrobatic skills. I love watching them over the open area at the back of my property at dusk. There will be up to a couple of dozen birds darting all over, catching those mosquitoes. I wasn't sure if they would return to the nest on the front porch because last year a snake managed to climb the pole and get a couple before I realized it (it was early evening but mostly dark). You would have gotten a kick out of seeing me out there in my pajamas with an extended handle Swiffer removing the snake out into the yard - it was heavy so it took me a bit lol. 😂

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @RustBeltCowgirl That is understandable. If it early enough, they will rebuild.

  • ieducate2008
    ieducate2008 Posts: 40 ✭✭✭

    I haven't seen any barn swallows. But it seems that the bird population around my place in the Willamette Valley Oregon is decreasing. It's quite sad.

  • marcy_northlightsfarm
    marcy_northlightsfarm Posts: 103 ✭✭✭

    We have barns swallows that come every year and nest in our barn. We also have a large amount of cliff swallows. I really enjoy these birds on our farm. I've tried to get purple martins to come nest in two houses I put up, but so far all I have is house sparrows.

  • In Kansas, I have also noticed a decrease in the barn swallows and I wondered if they had just left our farm or if it was a bigger problem. We seem to have plenty of swallows that nest on the bridge but are different than our barn swallows. I seen a pair hunting in our yard recently and will definitely protect their nest once I see it.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    @LauraofCottonWoodCroft Are the other swallows possibly cliff swallows? They will build outward with holes to the side of their nests.

    Thank you for protecting the barn swallows. They are migratory, and every bit helps.

    Welcome here, by the way! 😃

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning

    Here's one of the barn swallows that I have been dodging.

    Cigar's stall is near an outside exit, so that aisle is a high traffic zone.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    I see. Haha...that reminds me of the day when I stood underneath a nest in our barn. All I can say is to never stand underneath a currently used nest. 😂

  • RustBeltCowgirl
    RustBeltCowgirl Posts: 1,403 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LaurieLovesLearning Article from Mother Earth Magazine about attracting barn swallows.

    We have a ton of nests in the barn this year.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    I could only read part of the article. Thanks for including it here!

    We do have a few swallows, and our environment is perfect except for thecexcesdive spraying. We had a number of new and more of certain birds & insects this spring due to almost no spray last fall and a very delayed spray this spring.

    If only there were no more sprayed fields, we would see a great number of these return. We might even be priviledged to see tiger swallowtail butterflies once again.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    I was able to read the rest now. I have no idea why the continue button didn't work earlier, but it worked today. It had great information. I had no idea about artificial nest boxes. We could try that, but I wonder if the sparrows would try to take it over.

    Our worst birds here for songbird destruction are house sparrows & in the past few years, starlings. Magpies are not far behind.