Barn Swallow Update

Wayne and I were so sad to see all five of the Barn Swallow chicks at our float cabin not make it. We thought maybe some of the first chicks to disappear were pushed out of the nest by their siblings (siblicide). But now we aren't so sure about that. The survival rate for barn swallows is quite good. The hatching success rate is 90% and the fledging survival rate is 70–90%.

The parents are very protective of their young. Both the male and female participate in nest building, incubation of the eggs and feeding the chicks. The day we returned to the cabin, I noticed one of the birds cleaning the nest. I hope it was the female getting ready to lay a second batch of eggs. To help any babies that fall might out of the nest, we've put some padding on the roof. It's worth a try.

When our pair of Barn Swallows aren't busy catching insects and raising babies, they like to sit on our swim ladder preening and singing to each other.

Hopefully their second brood of the season will end on a happier note. -- Margy