Cliff Swallow colony on an artificial structure in Yukon: nesting phenology and re-use of old nests

Cliff Swallow colony on an artificial structure in Yukon: nesting phenology and re-use of old nests We monitored a colony of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) nesting on an artificial nesting structure that had been built for this species, near the Dezadeash River in Haines Junction, Yukon (60o 44’ 58” N/ 137o 30’ 33” W). We took photographs of the nesting surface of each of the 16 nesting panels of the structure, several times per year during 2013-2016 and once in 2017. From each photograph, nests and any visible adult birds were counted, and changes since the previous photo of that same panel were noted. In this way we tracked persistence of nests over the winter, timing of arrival of the birds, the progress of nest building, loss of nests or parts of nests that fell to the ground, and the number of nests that were apparently active each year. A nest was considered active in a given year if an adult was visible inside it in at least one photo, or if material (mud) was added to the nest. 2024-02-16 Environment and Climate Change Canada Donnees-SIG_SCF_NOR-Data-GIS_CWS_NOR@ec.gc.ca Nature and EnvironmentBirdsAnimal reproductionBoreal ecosystemsNorthern Canadanesting chronologyaerial insectivoreCliff Swallownest reuseHaines JunctionNorthern Region View ECCC Data Mart (English)HTML https://data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca/data/species/assess/Cliff-Swallow-colony-on-an-artificial-structure-in-Yukon-nesting-phenology-and-re-use-of-old-nests/?lang=en View ECCC Data Mart (French)HTML https://data-donnees.az.ec.gc.ca/data/species/assess/Cliff-Swallow-colony-on-an-artificial-structure-in-Yukon-nesting-phenology-and-re-use-of-old-nests/?lang=fr

We monitored a colony of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) nesting on an artificial nesting structure that had been built for this species, near the Dezadeash River in Haines Junction, Yukon (60o 44’ 58” N/ 137o 30’ 33” W). We took photographs of the nesting surface of each of the 16 nesting panels of the structure, several times per year during 2013-2016 and once in 2017. From each photograph, nests and any visible adult birds were counted, and changes since the previous photo of that same panel were noted. In this way we tracked persistence of nests over the winter, timing of arrival of the birds, the progress of nest building, loss of nests or parts of nests that fell to the ground, and the number of nests that were apparently active each year. A nest was considered active in a given year if an adult was visible inside it in at least one photo, or if material (mud) was added to the nest.

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