Ally Manthorne presents at the 2015 Acorn Conference

1. Encouraging
Swifts and Swallows
on the Organic Farm
Allison Manthorne
marswifts@birdscanada.org 1(506) 364-5196
www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/ai

2. Overview
1. What is SwiftWatch?
2. What are “Aerial Insectivores”?
 Barn Swallow
 Cliff Swallow
 Tree Swallow
 Chimney Swift
3. How can I help?
 Nesting Habitat
 Around the farm
 Citizen Science
4. Get in touch! Mark Peck

3. Maritimes SwiftWatch
 Citizen Science program launched in
2011 in NB and NS
 Objectives:
 Identify Chimney Swift nest and roost
sites
 Encourage stewardship
 Protect habitat
 Monitor population
 Activities:
 Chimney Swift roost counts, nest checks
 Swift Night Out events
 New in 2015: swift and swallow project
Erin Brethauer, Asheville Citizen-Times

4. Aerial Insectivores
 A group of birds that specialize in a diet of
flying insects
Different habitats, wintering ranges, human disturbance but similar diets
Flycatchers Nightjars Swifts Swallows
Alan Schmierer Kenneth Cole Schneider Steve Benoit CB Stokes

5. Source: North American Bird Conservation Initiative Canada. 2012. The State of Canada's
Birds, 2012. Environment Canada, Ottawa, Canada. 36 pages.

6. Source: North American Bird Conservation Initiative Canada. 2012. The State of Canada's
Birds, 2012. Environment Canada, Ottawa, Canada. 36 pages.

7. Barn Swallow
 Steely blue head and back
 Brown forehead and throat
 Tan-coloured belly
 Deeply forked tail
 Nest is an open mud cup
Lip Kee Yap Bryant Olsen

8. Barn Swallow
 Threatened across Canada
 Population declined by more
than 75% since 1960s
 Threats: habitat loss, climate
change, disappearance of insect
prey
Bryant OlsenLip Kee Yap

9. Cliff Swallow
 Dark blue-black head and back
 White forehead, dark throat
 White belly
 Tail not forked
 Nest is an enclosed mud pod
Dan Debold Carol Foll

10. Cliff Swallow
 Population is declining but not
yet threatened
 Threats: habitat loss, nest
destruction, climate change,
disappearance of insect prey
Lip Kee Yap Carol Foll

11. Tree Swallow
 Iridescent blue-green back and
head
 White throat and belly
 Tail not forked
 Nest is built inside nestbox or
tree cavity and lined with
feathers and straw
 First swallow to return in spring
Mark Peck Jon Benson

12. Tree Swallow
 Populations declining but not
yet threatened
 Threats: climate change,
disappearance of insect prey
 Readily accepts nestboxes
Jon BensonMark Peck

13. Chimney Swift
 Charcoal grey
 Stubby, spiky tail
 Pale throat
 Bow-and-arrow silhouette
 “cigar with wings”
 Constant twittering call
Abian Sacks Bruce DiLabio
Mark Elderkin

14. Chimney Swift
 Threatened across Canada
 Population declined by 95%
since 1960s
 Habitat loss, climate
change, nest destruction,
disappearance of insects
 Check out “How to be a
good Chimney Swift host”
Mark Elderkin
Ontario SwiftWatchAbian Sacks

15. How can we help swifts and
swallows on organic farms?
1. Maintain or Create Nesting Habitat
2. Maintain Foraging Habitat
3. Become a Citizen Scientist
Christian Artuso

16. Maintain Nesting Habitat
Action:
 Provide an access point to
suitable buildings by leaving
open a door or window
Benefits:
 Barn Swallows
 Cliff Swallows
 Chimney Swifts
banbe1964
William Garrett

17. Maintain Nesting Habitat
Action:
 Maintain a source of mud
near barns and other
buildings
Benefits:
 Barn Swallows
 Cliff Swallows
Heathyr
Peter Kelly

18. Maintain Nesting Habitat
Action:
 Resist the temptation to
remove old nests -
swallows often reuse them
Benefits:
 Barn Swallows
 Cliff Swallows Mark Peck

19. Maintain Nesting Habitat
Action:
 Mount artificial nest cups
or shelves in a sheltered
area out of reach of
predators (rats, racoons,
cats)
Benefits:
 Barn Swallow, Eastern
Phoebe, Robin
© 2013, American Artifacts and Richard Van Vleck, Taneytown, Maryland.
©1992,MinnesotaDepartmentofNaturalResources

20. Maintain Nesting Habitat
Action:
 Mount nest boxes in an
open area, out of reach of
predators (rats, racoons,
cats)
Benefits:
 Tree Swallows, Eastern
Bluebirds
Jon Benson

21. Maintain Foraging Habitat
Action:
 Provide open areas that
support aerial insects
Examples:
 Marshes, ponds, streams
 Grasslands, pastures
 Barnyards
 Right-of-ways
Richle Diesterheft

22. Become a Citizen
Scientist
Volunteers share their energy, skill, and
bird sightings through research and
monitoring programs:
 Maritimes SwiftWatch
 Project NestWatch
 Swifts and Swallows
www.birdscanada.org/volunteer
Allison Manthorne

23. Complete our Landowner Survey!
 What species are found on your property?
 What actions have you taken to encourage
or discourage nesting swifts and swallows?
 What motivates you to encourage or
discourage nesting swifts and swallows on
your property?
 What is your level of awareness regarding
swifts and swallow threats and protection?
 How can Bird Studies Canada support you as
a steward and citizen scientist? Rob Mueller

24. Complete our Landowner Survey!
Provide your contact
information for a chance to
win a copy of Woodworking
for Wildlife by Carol L.
Henderson!
 Includes thirty designs for nest
boxes and nest platforms that
will accommodate forty-six
species of wildlife
 easy-to-follow diagrams for
cutting out and assembling the
nest boxes
 over three hundred beautiful
color photographs
Rob Mueller

25. Attention PEI farmers:
Since 2012 Island Nature Trust has been
working with farmers and other rural
landowners to:
 Collect breeding observations of Barn
Swallow and Bobolink
 Maintain nesting habitat for Barn
Swallows and Bobolink
 Manage grassland for nesting Bobolink
© Natalie Loo

26. Shannon Mader
projects@islandnaturetrust.ca
902-892-7523
To find out more or to participate in
this project contact:
Landowners on PEI can participate by:
This landowner did not want to keep their barn doors open but
wanted to allow access for swallows. A simple fix!
 Opening buildings in April to allow access to Barn Swallow
 Maintaining a supply of mud for nesting Barn Swallow
 Installing nest ledges
 Reporting observations of Barn Swallow and Bobolink
 Monitoring these species on their property
 Delaying hay harvest until after July 7

27. Acknowledgements
Thank you to our tireless volunteers, participating
landowners, project partners and supporters.

28. Keep in touch!
www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/ai
@Mar_Swifts Maritimes.Swifts
To find out more or to participate in this project on PEI,
contact Shannon Mader:
projects@islandnaturetrust.ca 1 (902) 892-7523
Allison Manthorne, Maritimes SwiftWatch
marswifts@birdscanada.org
1(506) 364-5196