Dead Barn Swallows

[Joseph MacDonald]

Maine Birds;

 

I found another dead adult Barn Swallow this morning for a total of three over the past couple of weeks, all adult. We have lived here for 20 years and have never seen a dead adult Barn Swallows before. Normally we have 10-15 pairs nesting in the barn.

 

Does anyone know what is causing this?

 

Joe MacDonald

Bancroft, Southern Aroostook

 

 

 

 

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[Richard Harris Podolsky]

A few things to look for -

•has the flight path they take into and out of the barn changed in any way? Specifically, are their any obstacles? Collision deaths can cause broken beaks or necks or wing breaks in otherwise plump and healthy birds. Look for that.

•have you observed normal foraging flight behavior? It has been cold and it's possible their aren't enough insects.

•do you or your neighbors use any pesticides?

•I suggest freezing the dead birds you find in a ziplock. I have heard of diseases in swallows before and last May I found dozens of barnys dead on the Dry Tortugas from what appeared to be disease given the number of stricken birds.

•finally contact Avian Haven or a vet who knows about song birds.

It is sad and upsetting to see long-lived birds die prematurely.

Please report back if you learn more.

Richard

[Linda Scotland]

I'd be very interested to know what has killed these birds. We have had barn swallows for over twenty years. Last year we have eleven fledglings. This year only two came back and over a month late. We always have babies by the fourth of July, but it doesn't look like they've even started nesting yet. I'm very concerned.
Linda Scotland

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[Richard Harris Podolsky]

This isn't normal and is troubling. Barn swallows are long-lived birds that ought not be dying en mass. Birds are sentinel organisms and we need to listen to them. A mortality event like this is a real concern. You are likely only finding the tip of the iceberg. Odd for them to survive the winter and migration only to die at their nest site. It is time to reach out to a local agriculture extension, avian haven, and a qualified veterinarian.  

Did they build their nests as usual?  Two possibilities are their insect food source and the mud they use for nesting as a source of toxins and/or disease which I suspect is at the root. 

Swallows including martins have been in decline in the the northeast and Maritime provinces for some years now. 

Here is an article to read and perhaps contact the folks mentioned:  

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1236869-researchers-seek-to-solve-puzzle-of-swallow-decline

I will continue to look into this matter. Others in the group ought to share their perspectives on swallows too. 

Best - Richard 

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[Don and Sherry Reimer]

Are the dead swallows being found inside or outside of the barn or both?

Don

 

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Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2015 22:06:05 -0400
Subject: Re: [Maine-birds] Dead Barn Swallows
From: richard...@gmail.com
To: maine...@googlegroups.com

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[Derek and Jeannette Lovitch]

Hi all,

I don't want to downplay some of the "big-issue" concerns that have been touched upon in this thread, my guess is that these swallow mortality events this spring are not as nefarious. Without examining the birds, my guess would be that these birds have starved to death (a close examination would reveal how much fat these birds have or don't have).

Without the time for a treatise on the topic, I would say that it fits a pattern of mortality for aerial insectivores that unfortunately occurs in cool to cold springs. Simply put, flying insects have not been out in abundance statewide, they are appearing late, and often in lower quantities than we - and our birds - are used to. While that's great for our comfort from biting insects, its not good if your life depends on insects in the air.

We've received numerous reports of Tree Swallow mortality and nest abandonment in boxes this spring, and a slow start (or worse) for bluebirds. I expect Purple Martins and Chimney Swifts were particularly hard hit by the cool weather that not only delayed many insect hatchings, but also suppressed abundance higher in the air column where these birds feed.

Occum's Razor suggests that these Barn Swallow deaths are the result of starvation, as we have definitely had the weather this spring that is a challenge for aerial insectivores. Although technical, this article is a leading reference on the concept of "fat scoring" on birds:

https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/nabb/v028n02/p0058-p0063.pdf

For something more user-friendly, type "Fat scoring on banded birds" into Google Images and you'll see some pictures of birds' fat reserves (it is what allows them to migrate and survive lean periods). At the very least, I would start with this idea, and if it proves to be incorrect (e.g. the dead birds all have lots of fat), then we would look into other issues such as disease, poisoning, etc.

-Derek

*****************************************
Derek and Jeannette Lovitch
Freeport Wild Bird Supply
541 Route One, Suite 10
Freeport, ME 04032
207-865-6000
www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

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From: Richard Harris Podolsky <richard...@gmail.com>
To: "maine...@googlegroups.com" <maine...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, June 8, 2015 10:06 PM

Subject: Re: [Maine-birds] Dead Barn Swallows

This isn't normal and is troubling. Barn swallows are long-lived birds that ought not be dying en mass. Birds are sentinel organisms and we need to listen to them. A mortality event like this is a real concern. You are likely only finding the tip of the iceberg. Odd for them to survive the winter and migration only to die at their nest site. It is time to reach out to a local agriculture extension, avian haven, and a qualified veterinarian.  

Did they build their nests as usual?  Two possibilities are their insect food source and the mud they use for nesting as a source of toxins and/or disease which I suspect is at the root. 

Swallows including martins have been in decline in the the northeast and Maritime provinces for some years now. 

Here is an article to read and perhaps contact the folks mentioned:  

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1236869-researchers-seek-to-solve-puzzle-of-swallow-decline

I will continue to look into this matter. Others in the group ought to share their perspectives on swallows too. 

Best - Richard 

On Monday, June 8, 2015, Richard Harris Podolsky <richard...@gmail.com> wrote:

A few things to look for -

•has the flight path they take into and out of the barn changed in any way?  Specifically, are their any obstacles?  Collision deaths can cause broken beaks or necks or wing breaks in otherwise plump and healthy birds. Look for that.

•have you observed normal foraging flight behavior?  It has been cold and it's possible their aren't enough insects.

•do you or your neighbors use any pesticides?

•I suggest freezing the dead birds you find in a ziplock. I have heard of diseases in swallows before and last May I found dozens of barnys dead on the Dry Tortugas from what appeared to be disease given the number of stricken birds.

•finally contact Avian Haven or a vet who knows about song birds.

It is sad and upsetting to see long-lived birds die prematurely.

Please report back if you learn more.

Richard

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[Norman Famous]

Hi All,

I have joined the present thread.  Forgive me if I posted this in an earlier thread.

While living in Machiasport at the head of Machias Bay, we used to have cliff and barn swallows starve to death in the eaves of our front porch especially during foggy periods in June.    More often, they were chicks tossed out of the nest.   Presently, the cliff swallows are long-gone and a pair of barn swallows are now nesting again in our back shed which has numerous access holes. 

I first saw this at the lighthouse at East Quoddy head when the lighthouse keepers showed me dead birds and described what they had observed over the years.  This also happened on Roque Island in Jonesport both with barn swallows and tree swallows.  Residents in eastern Washington Co. used to call me reporting tree swallow mortaility even though I was from away, mainly because I was the CBC compiler for the Machias Bay and the Moose Is-Jonesport CBCs for a couple of decades.  Birds seem to transcend 'being from away'.​

Good birding,

Norm Famous

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