Swallow house
Schwalbe houses (sometimes called Swallow towers or - trees called) are as artificial colonies of martins a relief effort for this species. Usually there is a square or hexagonal / octagonal roof on a mast at a height of 4–6 m. The ledges under the roof should be roughly plastered, artificial nesting aids for the house martins are attached to them and the swallows can build natural nests themselves.
The idea
The presumed original swallow house stood on private property in Aalen , where it was photographed by a member of NABU Krofdorf-Gleiberg . Due to the renovation of the fire station in Krofdorf-Gleiberg in 1990, a location for a larger swallow colony was omitted and so the swallow house was built by R. Stork based on the photo from Aalen. Due to the success of this measure in connection with further protective measures for house martins, the population of this bird species in Krofdorf-Gleiberg has been steadily increased. As a result, the idea of the swallow house became more and more popular and found numerous imitators. In addition, finished swallow houses and kits are delivered and installed by a company from Central Hesse.
Today there are already over 300 swallow houses in Germany (including Berlin , Schwerin , Cottbus , Eschborn / Ts.) And neighboring countries (Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France). In Hesse alone, over 200 swallow houses were built. Even in the Kurhotel in Heiligendamm (where the G8 summit took place in 2007 ) swallow houses were installed to compensate for the loss of the nests through the renovation of the facades. Now even became a swallow house after Krofdorfer model in Seattle , USA , for the violet-green swallow (violet-green swallow tachycineta thalassina set).
Construction and location
Whether a swallow house is also accepted by the house martins depends on the correct structure and, above all, on the location. The cornices and the underside of the swallow house should be plastered light and rough. In addition to the artificial nests, there should be space for natural nests. In the vicinity of the site, occupied house martin nests should be in sight. It is not advisable to set up directly on waterways or outside of local locations. It is also advisable to only set up swallow houses on publicly owned land. Adding a sound dummy that plays calls from house martins increases the likelihood that a house will be accepted by house martins.
More types
Similar constructions are also available for swifts (" swift lantern " or " swift tower "). In addition to nesting aids for house martins, a swallow house can also be equipped with aids for other species, e.g. B. for house sparrows or bats .
Web links
- House martin hotel project. Nabu , Zollernalb district association
- Swallow protection in Krofdorf-Gleiberg. GreenTime Wettenberg.
- Swallow house with sound dummy in Nuremberg gruenstifter Nuremberg
literature
- Article in "Der FALKE", year 2007
- Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development (2000): Animals as neighbors. Species protection on buildings. Berlin.
- Hess. Min. For environment, energy, agriculture and consumer protection: NATURA 2000 practically in Hessen. Species protection in town and town. Wiesbaden 2009.
- W. Lübcke (1999): House martin - Delichon urbica . In: Hess. Ges. F. Ornithology Nature conservation (ed.) (1997): Avifauna von Hessen .
- T. Mattern (2004): "Schwalbenhäuser" in the Gießen district - a compilation of discussion . Annual Ornithological Report Volume 13: 243–245.
- NABU Krofdorf-Gleiberg: 50 years for people and nature . Wettenberg 2011.
- O. Wegener: A swallow doesn't make a summer - possibilities of swallow and common swift protection in the field restructuring . AGROFOR on behalf of the Hess. State Office f. Land consolidation.
- O. Wegener: The construction book swallow house . AGROFOR on behalf of the Hess. State Office f. Land consolidation.
- S. Döschner, gruenstifter.com: gruenstifter Schwalbenhaus with sound dummy in Nuremberg .