As a birder I’ve been aware that populations of certain species of birds have been declining, but I was unaware of how dramatically the numbers of Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) had fallen until I heard Dick Cannings talking about it on CBC Radio’s BC Almanac (available in iTunes – episode 2011-08-23 at about the 14:20 mark). According to Cannings, Barn Swallows have experienced a 75% decline in numbers in the last 25 years, with close to 40% of that drop coming in the last 10 years.
It’s because of that rapid, unsustainable decline, that Barn Swallows were recently listed by COSEWIC as Threatened (May, 2011). They are also Blue Listed (species of Special Concern) in British Columbia. There is currently estimated to be around 3 million Barn Swallows in Canada during the breeding season.
The exact cause of the precipitous decline is unclear but has been linked to a number of different factors. Cannings intimated that climate change was probably a key factor. Long distance migrating birds still leave their wintering grounds at the same time as they always have because their departure is triggered by day length. When they arrive in North America, the insects that they feed on may have already hatched due to an earlier spring. There is evidence that overall populations of insects are also declining as a result of changes in climate.
The Vancouver Avian Research Centre is conducting ongoing research on aerial insects and foraging success of Barn Swallows and other species of swallows at Colony Farms. Derek Mathews with Vancouver Avian Research Centre also mentions climate change, citing both changes in temperature and precipitation as factors in reducing insect populations and the ability of flying insectivores to feed. Lost of nesting habitat, increased use of pesticides on fields, and light pollution may also have an impact on Barn Swallow numbers.
I haven’t seen many Barn Swallows this year, but I happened to be staying at Penfold Farm B&B for a couple of nights this week and was delighted to discover that there were still swallows nesting in the old barn on the property. Gary and Gwenyth told me that the number of birds nesting in the barn had declined from around a dozen to just a few. There appeared to be one active nest in the barn while I was there, and at least four young birds begging for food.
If you’re interested in doing your part to preserve some habitat for these swallows, the farm is actually for sale. It’s a delightful place to stay, and I hope that when it does sell that the new owners are as conscious of its ecological value as its current ones are!
“thought” I might have seen a pair here earlier this summer. But, that was only once. When we came here in 1980s there were many in SW Margaree. Other than this one glimpse this year, haven’t seen any for years.
We have a farm in Nanaimo, BC where many barn swallows have nested in previous years. This year we had only 6 batches (two of those 6 were second nestings). We only had one nest of cliff swallows. The last babies hatched very late and there is still one here all by himself. It appears that the remainder of that nest left a few days ago, leaving two here. One of those disappeared yesterday, leaving one. This is Sept 21, 2011 – the latest to leave in previous years was Sept 3 a couple years ago. Will this little guy go on his own? I haven’t seen any others heading south laltely.
About 15 years ago, without any encouragement on our part, a family of barn swallows built a nest in our front entry way. We live in North Vancouver, and we were thrilled, welcoming them back every year. One season I realized that there had been a winter of heavy rain and here were no insects in the garden in early spring. I usually don’t interfere with nature but, just for this time, I purchased a large quantity of lady bugs from a local pet shop, releasing them into the garden. The parents were ecstatic and the intervention on my part saved the family that year. They came back for a few more years, much to our delight, and then suddenly stopped and have never returned.
I have lived in Scurry, Texas for 14 years. Up until 3 years ago, a family would best on my back porch and raise 3 broods of 5 each. I would see all 15 learn to fly. Then something changed. The first brood would hatch and fly. The second brood would have some babies die. The same with the third. This year, they raised one brood and only one baby made it in the second brood. They didn’t lay any eggs after that and left very early. Like a month early. So sad.
My farm is in middle TN.The barn swallows come every year and nest in the barn rafters.I have a 5 acre pond very close to the barn and you will see tham constantly flying over the lake dipping into the water,i presume to use in building their nests and also as they gather insects.I have never had a mosquitoes,absolutly none.I credit this to barn swallows.It is also quite a show as I bush hog the surrounding pastures and they fly all around the tractor gathering the insects.This year,2016,I was concerned because they seemed to arrive later in the spring and in fewer numbers,however within a few weeks the group increased from about a doz birds to 30/40.About a week ago,the were gone,where I wonder?Also ,this year after being gone for the past two years,I had one single bat.In the past I always had six every year that hung together on the same rafter in the tac room.
Thanks for stopping in Ken – I wonder if climate change is changing the migration cues and you’re seeing different arrival/departure times because of it. Shorebird migration is well underway here on the west coast, birds have been moving since mid-July (which is normal).