100 Swallows' Nests, a House - Good year for swallows in Thuringia
For swallows**, conditions this year are good in Thuringia. For instance, rain has allowed mosquitoes, which serve as food for house and sand martins, to thrive, according to the Nature Conservation Union (NABU) Thuringia in Jena.
With this food source, the small aerial acrobats, known as harbingers of summer, have already raised a first brood. Currently, many swallows are breeding for a second time. Some have even started a third brood, explained NABU expert Tino Sauer.
100 swallow nests on a house in southern Thuringia
House and sand martins have adapted to a human-shaped environment as cultural followers. Nevertheless, swallow populations have been declining not only in Thuringia for years. Intensive agriculture, land sealing, unsuitable renovation measures on buildings, and the removal of their nests have posed challenges to the birds. Additionally, there is often a lack of nesting material and sites.
However, there are also good examples. In Kaltennordheim, in the district of Schmalkalden-Meiningen, NABU honored the owner of a swallow-friendly house that hosts a second-hand store. More than 100 nests have been mapped on the building by NABU. This means the house hosts around 60 percent of the total house martin population in Kaltennordheim.
The Nature Conservation Union (NABU) in Kaltennordheim, acknowledging the house's resident-friendly environment, has identified over 100 swallow nests on the building. Unfortunately, swallow populations in regions across Thuringia, including this house, have been decreasing due to intensive agriculture, land sealing, and inadequate renovation measures, as discussed by NABU expert Tino Sauer.
