Since 1980, worldwide, most swallow populations have decreased by a shocking 80 per cent. This includes barn and cliff swallows that were once prevalent in Canada. Naturalists are not saying what has caused this decline, but common sense tells us that the lack of nesting sites is a factor. Eighty per cent of the old barns have also been sealed, torn down or fallen.
According to Bird Studies Canada, “Barn Swallows nest almost exclusively on human-made structures such as barns, sheds, bridges and culverts. Researchers in North America have discovered that old barns with notches from the pioneer's axes provided a rough surface to build nests on. New barns with metal siding metal roofs and smooth ceilings do not provide ideal nesting sites, but can be easily adapted.”
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