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Resting wings from downpour

 

With the first heat wave this weekend the first barn swallows arrived from their nearly 10 000 km long migration from South Africa. The Estonian Ornithological Society calls all in whose households there are nesting barn swallows to check their nesting spots so that the birds can start nesting without risks. You can find tips on how to build nest bases for the barn swallows, how to distinguish it from other swallows and much more advice on the barn swallow home page http://www.eoy.ee/suitsupaasuke.

The first barn swallows have been expected by bird friends for some time already, because these bringers of warm days usually arrive here around the middle of April. As insect eater the barn swallows always arrive when there are enough insects flying around. During the next four weeks the barn swallows continue to arrive to their nest sites here and also continue their migration through here towards north and northeast.

Barn swallow was selected as the bird of the year because there are fewer nesting barn swallows in Estonia  for each year and that is the reason why more interest should be turned to the Estonian national bird and the Estonian Ornithological Society’s coat of arms bird.

The decrease in numbers of the barn swallow is in part due to the great changes in the agriculture of Europe and the development of farmland that has left tens of thousands of barn swallows without nesting locations. At the same time the decrease of cattle husbandry and concentration of cattle into closed cattle buildings have decreased the number of flies, the basic food of barn swallows. But the barn swallows, being long-distance migrants, are also influenced by conditions on their migration paths and wintering areas. In southern Africa birds that winter there must twice a year cross the widening Sahara desert, endure ever more unforeseeable weather conditions and find wintering areas that offer sufficient food for surviving the winter.

In the Year of the Barn Swallow the life and the ecological importance of the species will be presented and ways in which everyone can help the breeding of barn swallows in Estonia. Collection of more data about conditions and distribution of barn swallows in Estonia is also organised with the help of all bird friends.

The Estonian Ornithological Society chooses a Bird of the Year already for the 17th time. The purpose of selecting a bird of the year is to present one of our bird species or group of species to the public and to engage the public in the study and protection of the Bird of the Year.

 

Meelis Uustal, 53 415 030

Mati Kose, 523 6926

Estonian Ornithological Society