Tracking of migrating swallow and martin flocks (generally 1,000-10,000 birds) over the Great Lakes, using 12 weather radars, for 23 years, reveals that larger flocks hewed more closely to the ideal path. This looks like 'the wisdom of the crowds' in action.

Flock sizes decreased by 20-30% between 2000 and 2023.

https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.aef3512

#Science #Migration #Birds #Swallows #Hirundines #Ecology #Flocking

Today we put up a couple of #swift boxes & this nice pair of #housemartin nest cups to attract #hirundines to live on our house.

I painted '#Swifts, Swallows & Martins' last summer as an ID guide to the four species of UK hirundines.

More info: https://janetomlinson.com/products/swift-swallow-martins

#Birds #painting #art

Day 13 of #30dayswild

A day of 'good news, bad news' for #hirundines here in the Chiltern Hills, SE England.

A sultry day, there were #swifts screaming and feeding over my new home all day.

However, for the first (possibly second) time in 25 years, no #housemartins nested on my friend's neighbour's house. She is so sad: they form the summer soundtrack to her day, as the swifts (used to) do mine.

Our guests first full day here yesterday in The #Straits and we made sure we positioned ourselves right beneath the flow of soaring #migratorymayhem!

Booted and Short-toed Eagles, streams of Black Kites, Western Osprey, Montagu’s Harriers and White Storks poured through the challenging #14km bottleneck while Common and Pallid Swifts and masses of #Hirundines plugged the gaps !

Here a Short-toed Eagle makes Europe after the challenges of The Straits ! 😊