Bird of the Month: Bank Swallows

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Bank Swallows are unique birds, in their coloration and banding, as well as their nesting habits. This month, Mary Birdsong, lead shorebird monitor for the Erie Bird Observatory introduces us to these birds who are nesting now on Presque Isle.

On any summer day at Presque Isle, if you are on the right beach, you have the opportunity to enjoy the aerial acrobatics of Bank Swallows, a bird that flies with fast, fluttery wing beats and brief glides. They change course frequently in the air, and swoop low over the water in pursuit of flying insects.

These bundles of high-octane energy are small, a mere 5 inches in length, plain brown on top and white below with a distinctive breast band (birders say "banks have bands" as a way to remember this field mark). They have pointed wings and small notches in their long slender tails.

One feature that makes them captivating is their method of nesting. Rather than building a nest in a tree, they excavate cavities in the banks and bluffs of rivers, streams, and lakes. Many places on the shoreline of Lake Erie, including Presque Isle, offer appropriate substrate where the swallows can dig into the bank without the cavity collapsing. In these tunnels, which can be 2 feet deep or more, a mated pair of swallows use stems and leaves, and roots torn from the exposed banks to build a flat nest inside the cavity. During egg laying and incubation, feathers are added.

Because they nest colonially, sites become a whirl of activity as birds come and go quickly, especially if they are feeding chicks. At Presque Isle, colonies can contain up to several hundred pairs. It's mesmerizing to watch birds fly directly to the bank at a high speed, know which cavity is theirs and fly right in without hesitation.

But these cozy cavities that protect eggs and young from predators are also vulnerable to collapse if the site is disturbed by high winds, waves, or human interference (people sliding down banks, carving into them, or heavy equipment moving on the top).

Erie Bird Observatory and Presque Isle State Park staff do what they can to protect the colonies. Look for roped-off areas with informational signs about Bank Swallows and asking visitors to stay out. Sadly, these signs are sometimes ignored, so please do your part to help protect these birds – they flew all the way from South America to be here.

They are nesting now; go see them and their amazing colonies!

Mary Birdsong is the lead shorebird monitor for Erie Bird Observatory. Learn more at eriebirdobservatory.org or on their social media channels. She can be reached at mbirdsong@eriereader.com

Witness the entrancing dance of the Bank Swallows, nesting now on Presque Isle, but please do so from a safe distance so the unique birds' nesting sites aren't disturbed or destroyed. (Contributed photo)