Description
Just like the house martin, the barn swallow is finding it increasingly difficult to find suitable materials to build its nest with.
The interior spaces of small houses and stables are increasingly disappearing and the surfaces are also becoming increasingly smooth. The most common problems for this species are that they no longer find a suitable location to make their nest, and if they do succeed, in many places the loam turns out to be of inferior quality, causing the nest to break down too early.
PLACEMENT
The best location is a building or structure with an interior space under which the nest hangs. This could, for example, be the ceiling of a stable, a large bridge or a barn. Even a carport or large garden house can serve as a suitable place. The proximity of sheep, horses, cows or pigs attracts swallows. Hence the name barn swallow, they strengthen their nest with, among other things, the hair of animals and hunt for the many mosquitoes that they attract. Make sure to leave a space of 4 to 6 cm between the nest and the ceiling. Hanging several nests together increases the chance of attracting an entire colony.
MAINTENANCE
It is recommended to clean the nest annually.
