MME: both the public and local governments have a significant role in spring swallow protection

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According to the association, the domestic swallow population has decreased by more than 50 percent since the turn of the millennium, meaning that every second bird has disappeared from under the eaves. In order to reverse the process, the necessary steps can be taken in time as spring approaches: placing artificial nests, planning swallow-friendly wall renovations, creating mud collection areas, and installing so-called “swallow diapers” under the nests. MME is also helping with preparations with short films, demonstrating the preparation of artificial nests and the necessary templates for them – they wrote in the press release.

Swallows and other insectivorous animals – such as bats – play an important role in biological control against insects

A swallow consumes at least one kilogram of flying insects during the breeding season. According to MME estimates, Hungary could be missing up to two million swallows, which means that about two thousand tons of pests and disease-spreading insects remain in the environment every year. Mud-nesting swallows have now become completely urbanized, so the active participation of the population is essential for their protection – the experts explained. They added that the protection of existing, active nests and colonies, the official notification of nesting, the creation of artificial nests placed in March-April, the creation of mud collection sites, and in the case of shore swallows, the renovation of breeding walls can all contribute to stopping the decline of swallow populations. More information can be found on the website https://mme.hu/fecskevedelem.

MTI