Nest boxes to ease swiftsʼ nesting in the Faculty of Biology
The common swift (Apus apus) is an insectivorous and migratory bird, which is specially tied to urban areas, and which was usually found in the attic of old houses or emblematic buildings. In big cities, the swift got used to build its nest inside aeration zones of buildings but the current design of modern houses ended up with these urban habitats and therefore, the population of birds has reduced.
The common swift (Apus apus) is an insectivorous and migratory bird, which is specially tied to urban areas, and which was usually found in the attic of old houses or emblematic buildings. In big cities, the swift got used to build its nest inside aeration zones of buildings but the current design of modern houses ended up with these urban habitats and therefore, the population of birds has reduced.
This is why the Faculty of Biology of the UB and the association Galanthus are collaborating in a project to put nest boxes for the common swift in the Prevosti Building, an initiative to help the nesting of these birds during their breeding season in April.
“The swift is a rupiculous species with an extreme adaptation to flying. It lives in colonies and occupies nest boxes easily. It is a known bird among people -many people relate this bird to the beginning of spring- and is a bird of interest in the field of science”, says Professor José Domingo Rodríguez-Teijeiro, from the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, and the Biodiversity Research Institute of the UB (IRBio).
“With this initiative -he continues- the Faculty of Biology collaborates actively in the preservation of a protected species with a high ecological value, and it also gives way to the chance of carrying out practical lessons outside the context of the laboratories in subjects related to Zoology and Ecology”.
The swift is a rupiculous species with many singularities. During the breeding period -around 42 days in the nest- the young birds can eat up to 40,000 insects per day. In their diet, there are aphids, ants and spiders -among others- and this is why this bird plays an important ecological role in urban areas. It is able to go through ranges of atmospheric instability -known as summer movements- caused by the entering of cold fronts in nesting areas and find food in the warmest areas. To overcome the stages of food shortage, young birds can reduce their metabolism at a minimum level. Also, during their first two years of life, young birds keep their flight during all vital activities (eating, sleeping, etc).
At the moment, there are some swift natural nests in the Margalef building at the Faculty of Biology and at the Faculty of Earth Sciences of the UB. During the summer of 2018, in a trial phase, the first nest boxes were placed for swifts, which were not occupied by the birds. With the new initiative, these urban birds are expected to find the new place to live and breed in the middle of the city.