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In an effort to help tree swallows find homes and successfully breed, one woman is encouraging Halifax residents to build and install nesting boxes on their properties.
Jessica Ryuzaki said the idea popped into her head one day while she was strolling around the city.
“I’m noticing a lot of trees are getting cut down. And it kind of just got me thinking what impact this is having on the animals that live here? Especially the birds,” she said.
“I just remember hearing their chirping every morning. And to me, they’re an integral part of our community.”
Tree swallows, as well as other kinds of aerial insectivores, have seen their population decline in Nova Scotia and P.E.I since the 1970s, according to the Canadian Breeding Bird Survey. They are cavity-nesters, meaning they like to live in holes or crevices inside of trees.
Nesting boxes are not a new concept to introduce new homes for birds when there aren’t enough trees. Ryuzaki said it’s fairly simple and accessible to build one.
“You could probably just honestly go to the dollar store and buy a bunch of different pieces. It doesn’t have to be real wood, she said.
She said spent no more than $20 in materials to build her own, and that it took her 30 minutes to assemble. All the box needs is scrap wood, an entrance hole and a pivoting side panel for easy cleaning.
Tony Millard, president of the Nova Scotia Bird Society, said Ryuzaki presented the idea to him and he decided to help spread the word on social media.
Millard says nesting boxes should be mounted in open, sunny, grassy areas. They should be around two metres off the ground so ground predators can’t reach the birds. It should also be facing south or east to avoid harsh winds.
The project, now officially called ReNest Nova Scotia, is also sharing templates for people to use when making the boxes.
Millard said these boxes could also help other birds aside from the tree swallow. And there’s also a benefit for the homeowners that participate, he said.
“You’ve got the delight of seeing the swallows swooping around your yard. They’re eating the bugs,” he said. “The swallows have got somewhere to nest and raise their young and you’ve got less bugs in your yard.”
He said winter is the ideal time for construction, suggesting people use their indoor time now to build the nesting boxes and install them no later than April, just before spring when the birds will require them.
Ryuzaki said she has already been contacted by many people that want to participate in this, but she says the real number won’t be clear to her until the spring, when she goes on another walk and hopefully sees the boxes outside people’s yards.
“Having everyone set up a box in Halifax would be absolutely amazing. I would absolutely love it if that could happen,” she said.
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