Cambridge Bank Swallow Monitoring
Bank Swallow cavities and breeding was confirmed within a temporary fill pile located at a City of Cambridge storage/materials yard. Due to the temporary nature of the fill pile, the City of Cambridge required it to be relocated. Bank Swallows are listed as Threatened Species at Risk under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The ESA provides protection to Threatened species and their habitats.
Aboud & Associates was retained by the City of Cambridge to conduct a Breeding Bird Survey, assist the client with the ESA permitting process and completion of relevant forms, consult with the MECP, and complete 3 years of annual monitoring of the replacement habitat.
A new fill pile/berm was created by City staff to act as replacement habitat within a more ideal location at the materials yards. In order to inform City of Cambridge staff and ensure compliance with the permit, Aboud & Associates developed a training protocol, training manual, and an on-site information pamphlet. At the completion of the yearly monitoring period, ecologists at Aboud & Associates authored an updated Mitigation and Monitoring plan report. This report summarizes yearly results, contrasts them with past monitoring data, and provides recommendations for improvement of the mitigation actions.
Bank Swallow Facts
Bank Swallows are aerial insectivores, meaning they catch and eat flying insects
Bank Swallows are listed as Threatened under the ESA, Species at Risk Act (SARA), and by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)
There are four other species of Swallow found in southern Ontario. These include:
Barn Swallow (Special Concern),
Northern Rough-winged Swallow,
Tree Swallow, and
Cliff Swallow
Bank Swallows face a variety of threats which include:
loss of breeding and foraging habitat,
pesticide use that reduces prey (insect) availability,
climate change, and
collision with vehicles and windows.
Bank Swallows nest in colonies where they burrow into banks, bluffs, and human constructed habitat such as fill piles.
