Description
Just like the house martin, the barn swallow is having more and more trouble finding suitable materials to build its nest. Interior spaces of small houses and barns are disappearing more and more often, and the surfaces are becoming increasingly smoother. The most common problems for this species are that they can no longer find a suitable location to build their nest, and even if they do manage to, it often turns out that the loam is of inferior quality, causing the nest to break off too early.
INSTALLATION
The best location is a building or construction with an interior space under which the nest hangs. This can be, for example, the ceiling of a stable, a large bridge or a barn. Even a carport or large garden house can serve as a suitable location. Make sure that there is a space of 4 to 6 cm between the nest and the ceiling. Hanging multiple nests together increases the chance of attracting a full colony.
The proximity of sheep, horses, cows or pigs attracts swallows, hence the name barn swallow. The swallows reinforce their nest, among other things, with the hair of animals and hunt for the many mosquitoes that attract the animals.
MAINTENANCE
It is recommended to clean the nest cup annually.
