{"id":3216,"date":"2016-02-25T13:19:17","date_gmt":"2016-02-25T11:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/birdlifecyprusnew.org\/?p=3216"},"modified":"2025-05-05T15:46:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T12:46:41","slug":"spring-alive-for-swallows-this-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/birdlifecyprus.org\/el\/spring-alive-for-swallows-this-spring\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring Alive for Swallows this spring!"},"content":{"rendered":"
One of the most familiar birds in the world is declining, but rather than being concerned let\u2019s celebrate the swallows of our neighbourhood, because they give a great start for young people to care about conservation.<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Swallows are small, beautiful birds with dark, glossy-blue backs, red throats, pale underparts and long tail streamers \u2013 so-called \u2018swallow tail\u2019. They are extremely agile in flight and spend most of their time flittering around us catching insects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barn Swallows used to breed in caves, but now almost always nest in the eaves of buildings \u2013 such as farm barns (hence the name) and even in busy restaurants \u2013 meaning that the bird is one of the most familiar bird species in the world!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BirdLife Partnership is not just about saving endangered species. BirdLife (as the authority for birds on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species) lists Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica<\/a> as \u2018Least Concern\u2019 and their population size and range is huge. Nevertheless, they have marked population declines in some areas which means their global population trend is listed as \u2018decreasing\u2019 \u2013 so in the future this common species might not be so common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where YOU come in!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All along their migratory routes, children and adults will be excitedly preparing for the arrival of swallows and other birds with Spring Alive1 , an international project that launches its 2016 season in February. Spring Alive is a BirdLife International educational conservation initiative organised by OTOP (BirdLife in Poland) that encourages children to take action for the conservation of the migratory birds they learn about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intimately associated with humans, swallows are a species that anyone, almost anywhere can help with, through the Spring Alive 2016 season theme \u201cSwallows of my Neighbourhood\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will soon be sharing tips and advice on how you can look after swallows in your neighbourhood, but for now we want you to be a Swallow Scientist!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n