Are bank swallow endangered?

Is the bank swallow a threat to migratory birds?

Threats during migration and on the wintering grounds are largely unknown, but may be critical in understanding the species’ decline. In Canada, the Bank Swallow is federally protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994.

Are bank swallows endangered in Ontario?

One of these species, the bank swallow, is at particular risk in our province. Bank swallows are one of the most widely distributed birds in the world, but over the past 40 years they have declined by 98% across Canada and by 93% within Ontario.

What is the most common cause of death for bank swallows?

Of 336 band recoveries of dead Bank Swallows, collisions with vehicles (45.2%) was the most frequent cause of mortality, and first-year birds were more likely than adults to be struck by vehicles (Mead 1979), although this may represent a demographic bias.

What is the average age of a bank swallow bird?

The Bank Swallow breeds in colonies ranging from several pairs to a few thousand. In North America, the Bank Swallow is single-brooded and nest success is often relatively high. The average age of individuals in the breeding population likely ranges between 1.7 and 2 years old.

Are bank swallows protected in Canada?

In Canada, the Bank Swallow is protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and in the U.S. under the Migratory Birds Treaty Act, 1918. The Bank Swallow is not considered a candidate species to be listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act ( USFWS 2011).

Where do bank swallows migrate to?

Bank Swallows are long-distance migrants. Banded birds from Ontario and Saskatchewan have been recovered in northern Peru and northern Bolivia, respectively (Brewer et al. 2000). The Bank Swallow regularly flocks with other swallow species (Garrison 1999).

What is happening to the bank swallow?

The Bank Swallow is a migratory bird species at risk that has lost 98% of its Canadian population over the last 40 years. This insectivorous bird is particularly drawn to sand and gravel pits, stockpiles of sand and soil, and sandy banks along water bodies and roads.

Is the bank swallow endangered?

“Threatened ” means the species lives in the wild in Ontario, is not endangered, but is likely to become endangered if steps are not taken to address factors threatening it. The bank swallow is a small songbird with brown upperparts, white underparts and a distinctive dark breast band. It averages 12 cm long and weighs between 10 and 18 grams.

Are Maritime Bank swallows in decline in Atlantic Canada?

Maritime Bank Swallows primarily rely on natural breeding habitat (Erskine 1979), and therefore declines in available natural habitat could impact populations more severely in Atlantic Canada compared to other areas.

Why are bank swallows particularly susceptible to vehicle collisions?

Bank Swallows are particularly susceptible to vehicle collisions (Mead 1979), in part due to a unique social behaviour in which individuals are attracted to, and sometimes attempt to copulate with intra-specific corpses (Dale 2001, M. Falconer, pers. obs. ). Large flocks of birds will sometimes rest on the road with intra-specific carcasses.

What is the size of a bank swallow?

The Bank Swallow is considered to be among the more evolutionarily basal-branching or “primitive” groups of swallows due to its burrow-excavation habits (Sheldon and Winkler 1993). The Bank Swallow is the smallest swallow in the Americas. Total body length averages 12 cm (wing chord: 95-106 mm, tail length: 43-52 mm, mass: 10-18 g ).

What kind of bird is a bank swallow in Canada?

COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Bank Swallow Riparia riparia in Canada (2014-01-10) The Bank Swallow is a small insectivorous songbird with brown upperparts, white underparts and a distinctive dark breast band.

Is the bank swallow a threat to Canada?

In Canada, the Bank Swallow has declined by 98% over the past 40 years, triggering a federal “Threatened” listing in 2017 under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

Why is migration dangerous for Swallows?

Migration is a hazardous time and many birds die from starvation, exhaustion and in storms. Migrating swallows cover 200 miles a day, mainly during daylight, at speeds of 17-22 miles per hour. The maximum flight speed is 35 mph. In their wintering areas swallows feed in small flocks, which join together to form roosting…

Where do bank swallows dig their burrows?

Bank Swallows generally dig their burrows in near-vertical banks (slopes of at least 70 degrees) that are more than 2 m high. Bank swallows typically use their nesting sites from mid-April to late August. This is the sensitive period during which the risk of harming the birds is especially high.

Where do barn swallows migrate to?

Migration. Long-distance migrant. Barn Swallows fly from North American breeding grounds to wintering areas in Central and South America. Southbound fall migration may begin by late June in Florida or early July in Massachusetts. They return as early as late January in southern California to mid-May at Alaskan breeding sites.

Where do bank of bank swallows live?

Bank Swallows breed in open lowland areas near bodies of water. They tend to avoid forests, woodlands, or areas where they cannot find appropriate nesting habitats. Need Bird ID Help?

Are bank swallows in decline in Canada?

Over the last 40 years there have been significant population declines, particularly in the Maritimes. According to long-term Breeding Bird Survey data, it is estimated that Canada’s bank swallow population has declined by 98 per cent, while the barn swallow population has shrunk 75 per cent.

Why are Maritime Bank swallows endangered?

et al.2006), breeding habitat in coastal regions may be under threat due to accelerated coastal erosion and high water levels. Maritime Bank Swallows primarily rely on natural breeding habitat (Erskine 1979), and therefore declines in available natural habitat could impact populations more severely in Atlantic Canada compared to other areas.

Are swallows protected in Canada?

In Canada, the Bank Swallow is protected under theMigratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and in the U.S. under the Migratory Birds Treaty Act, 1918. The Bank Swallow is not considered a candidate species to be listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act(USFWS 2011).

Are there bank swallows in New Brunswick?

As of the early 1990s, nearly 10% of the coast in southeastern New Brunswick (an important region for Bank Swallows according to the Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas) had been fortified by rock embankments or retaining walls (Bérubé 1993).

Who wrote the status report on the bank swallow in Canada?

COSEWIC would like to acknowledge Myles Falconer and Debra Badzinski for writing the status report on the Bank Swallow, Riparia riparia, in Canada, prepared under contract with Environment Canada. The report was overseen and edited by Marty Leonard, Co-chair of the COSEWIC Birds Specialist Subcommittee.

Are raptor populations negatively impacting bank swallows in Ontario and Canada?

Merlin and other raptor species (excluding American Kestrel) have undergone population rebounds over the last several decades, especially in southern Ontario and the Maritimes (Cadman et al. 2007, BSC 2011a). It is, however, unknown if raptor populations are negatively impacting Bank Swallows where both species coexist.

How dangerous is migration?

Migration is a hazardous journey, but those hazards are often overlooked in the large-scale spectacle of millions of birds that successfully travel between their breeding and wintering grounds each year.

What are the dangers of bird migration?

Migration is a gamble. Birds have to deal with all kinds of dangers on the way – from bad weather and hungry predators to exhaustion and starvation. Bad weather is bad news for migrating birds.