Conservation Measures to Increase Breeding Success of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) in Massachusetts
Abstract
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota (Cliff Swallow) is experiencing significant population declines in parts of its breeding range, particularly in northeastern North America. At 12 active Cliff Swallow colonies in western Massachusetts in 2019–2020, we examined the extent to which installation of artificial nests, providing of mud sources, and control of Passer domesticus (House Sparrow) affected colony size and reproductive success of Cliff Swallows. While there was a trend for colony size to increase at sites with artificial nests, there was not a significant size increase at these sites from 2019–2020. Cliff Swallow nesting success was significantly lower at colony sites where House Sparrows were present, compared to those at which they were absent. The number of nesting Cliff Swallows at 2 sites where mud sources were enhanced increased from 2019 to 2020. Efforts to control House Sparrows by shooting at 1 site were unsuccessful. Our study suggests that without effective control of House Sparrows, Cliff Swallows are likely to keep declining in Massachusetts, regardless of other management techniques used.
Mara Silver, Linda L. Merry, and Charles R. Brown "Conservation Measures to Increase Breeding Success of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) in Massachusetts," Northeastern Naturalist 28(2), 211-219, (10 June 2021). https://doi.org/10.1656/045.028.0212
June 2021 -
Publications
Cliff Swallows in Northeastern North America: A conservation Adventure
Pittsfield Green Drinks presentation by Linda Merry and Mara Silver highlighted the natural history, hazards, and future of the cliff swallow populations in the Northeastern sector of North America on Aug 16, 2022 at the Thistle & Mirth, Pittsfield, MA
Presentations
Berkshire Natural History Conference
Mud Sweat and Fears: Reestablishing Cliff Swallow Nesting Colony at Berkshire Community College. Presented November 16, 2019. The presentation highlighted the restoration of nesting habitat to reestablish an abandoned cliff swallow nesting colony, rate of breeding success, and how the restoration work can be improved to make the colony sustainable.
Conferences
Cliff Swallow Nesting Restoration
The PDF file was presented in its entirety at when I was a guest speaker at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Pittsfield, MA., in the spring of 2019.
The presentation highlighted nesting habitat problems due to renovation work carried out at the main campus of Berkshire Community College, and the work that was carried out to determine whether or not that was adequate for the reintroduction of nesting cliff swallows.
Classwork
Our common Ground With Bats
This presentation places some perspective on a few things we humans have in common with bats. This was a great project and I really learned a lot.
Note: Press the pages manually. Using autoplay gives about 5 seconds viewing time and a lot of my content takes at least that long to load...
Classwork
Aeroecology using the WSR-88D
This is another class project, but as a trained meteorologist, I found this "off label use" of the WSR-88D weather radar systems to monitor bird movement fascinating! I began utilizing the radar system to track migration patterns of birds during the Fall of 2017. Although I still have a little time left of my learning curve, I see this particular tool holds lots of potential in the conservation of not only birds, but other aerofauna (bats and insects) as well.
Just in case the link doesn't work
https://prezi.com/view/tneuqUpsygIeBukpqsgo/
Classwork
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