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Swallows in Thuringia: Breeding season starts under difficult conditions!
Thuringia starts 2025 with challenges for swallows: breeding season delayed, fewer birds, but nature conservation remains important.
Swallows in Thuringia: Breeding season starts under difficult conditions!
In spring, Thuringia is a popular destination for walks and nature experiences. Particular attention is paid to the colorful swallows, which begin their nesting and breeding season at this time of year. But this year the barn swallows and house martins are faced with a whole range of challenges. Loud Thuringia24 Significantly fewer swallows have returned to Thuringia, which is due to extreme weather conditions that put a strain on the birds' travel routes.
The swallow breeding season begins about two weeks later than usual this year. Tino Sauer, the swallow representative at NABU Thuringia, confirmed these observations. Snowfall and rain in the Alpine region during the autumn migration have made it difficult for the swallows to return home. Recently there have been alarming declines in the swallow population in Erfurt, Weimar and other parts of Thuringia. The Nature Conservation Association of Germany (Nabu) expresses concern about the current situation, as the living conditions for swallows are becoming increasingly worse.
Challenges for swallows
One reason for the problems is the increasing renovation of buildings, which often robs swallows of their nesting opportunities. Swallows' nests are often deliberately removed, which puts additional strain on the population. In addition, strict hygiene standards in agriculture mean that modern cattle sheds and barns are inaccessible to birds. Covering fields and villages with concrete also reduces the number of puddles and clay passages that are crucial for nest building.
In addition, the decline in flying insects, which serve as a source of food for swallows, is having drastic effects due to monocultures and the use of pesticides. What is particularly alarming is that swallows in Germany are protected under Section 44 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act. Destroying their nests is considered a criminal offense both during and outside the breeding season.
Swallow protection measures
The “Swallow-Friendly House” campaign is launched by NABU and aims to help swallows and raise awareness of their protection. Up to 30 swallows can live in a place with 100 buildings, which shows how important committed citizens are to the conservation of these species, which face major challenges year after year.
To support the swallows, conservationists recommend leaving the nests on house walls. This not only allows the birds to find a place to nest, but also contributes to enriching regional biodiversity. The situation may be tense, but with the right commitment the return of the swallows could flourish again in the coming years.