A tip from bird conservationists: simple deterrent measures keep woodpeckers away from the house.
Sand martins feed mainly on flying insects, which they catch in flight just like other species of swallow. Occasionally the birds also look for food on the ground.
Protection status of sand martins
The Federal Nature Conservation Act lists the swallow species as strictly protected. The Red List of the World Conservation Union "International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources" However, the sand martin has been listed under the category since 2012 "Least concern" into German with "few concerns" translatable because the stock is declining, but still large enough not to be considered endangered.
The occurrence of sand martins is particularly threatened by the destruction of their breeding area. River straightening, the greening of steep walls or the filling of pits make the breeding places unusable for the migratory birds.
How can the little swallows be protected?
To protect the sand martins, the habitat of the colonies must be secured. Since sand martins only nest on steep slopes, the Federal Institute for Hydrology recommends creating sandy steep walls on lake and river banks or building artificial breeding tunnels in steep walls where the sand martins cannot dig themselves. It is also important to refrain from mining in pits during the breeding season and not to fill in gravel and sand pits.
Hans Frölich from the Naturschutzbund (NABU) also built special sand martin houses for the small birds that were built on the banks. These nesting aids consist of a large box with several nesting tubes made from a mixture of sawdust and cement. These artificial breeding sites were gladly accepted by the swallows in various projects.
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If you would like to help protect the little swallows, contact the local association of a nature conservation association.
Migratory birds are exposed to great dangers on their long journeys: Bird migration not only has to survive natural obstacles such as storms and thunderstorms, but is also increasingly threatened by humans.
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Bird migration: dangerous journey of migratory birds
The migratory birds set out on long journeys twice a year. On their way between breeding areas and winter quarters, the animals cover enormous distances: a migratory bird can cover up to 40,000 kilometers a year, like the arctic arctic tern.
Bird migration is by nature a dangerous undertaking: mountain ranges have to be passed and storms flown through. Older and sick animals in particular often do not survive migration. But it is not only nature that poses a risk to migratory birds, but also humans.
Danger to humans: catching birds and electricity pylons
On their main flight routes, the European migratory birds pass various Mediterranean countries where the animals are relentlessly hunted. Reporters for the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation determined that bird trapping on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt is carried out on a large scale. The 700-kilometer coast is almost completely covered with illegal fishing nets, which leave migratory birds hardly a chance after their exhausting flight across the Mediterranean: Millions of migratory birds, including Fitis, nightingale, wheatear and goat milkers, die in the nets and are put on the market sold as delicacies.
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Similar scenes take place in Malta, where, according to NABU, bird hunting has been banned since joining the EU, but is still practiced. But migratory birds also encounter dangers in this country: the animals can receive fatal electric shocks on unsecured power poles, whereupon they die in agony.
Bird migration is a behavior of animals that has always fascinated humans. Different migratory bird species pose additional puzzles: Why do some migratory birds fly halfway around the world, while others only fly short distances?
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Migratory bird species
Most of the bird species in the northern hemisphere are almost all migratory birds. Birds that live in warmer climates in the southern hemisphere do not seem to have such a great need to migrate. Bird species, some of which migrate while the other stays in one place, are known as partial migrants. An example of this is the white wagtail. There are also so-called non-migrants as well as long- and short-distance migrants.
Bird migration
As researchers from the ornithological station in Radolfzell on Lake Constance found out, the instinct to migrate is innate in all migratory bird species.
According to a report by "West German Broadcasting" who presented the results of the study, all birds are part migrants due to their genetic programming – and can change their behavior in the direction of migratory or resident birds over a few generations. This is the fastest behavior change that is genetically anchored that researchers have ever found in vertebrates.
Orientation of the birds
As the long-term study by the ornithological station in Radolfzell on Lake Constance found out, the direction of flight in all migratory bird species is genetically predetermined. They examined the trajectories of over 3,000 blackcaps in order to decipher the genetic basis. According to the study, the duration of the flight and the right time for departure are also genetically anchored in migratory birds, like the "West German Broadcasting" explained.
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Migratory birds cover impressive distances. (Photo: imago) In autumn, many migratory birds head south because they can no longer find enough food in the German winter. The animals cover impressive distances. The arctic tern is the top flyer. She is a real cosmopolitan. During the summer it lives at the North Pole and during the winter it spends in the drifting ice zone of the Antarctic. She chooses her habitat based on where the sun shines. To get from one end of the earth to the other, she covers up to 50,000 kilometers a year. We show you the top fliers among the migratory birds.
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Migratory birds over the Himalayas
But the altitude of some bird species is also fascinating. On the long-haul flight of barn swallow, common woodcock and plover, the average altitude is 300 to 1000 meters. The wild goose, however, reaches an altitude of 8800 meters because it crosses the Himalayas. Actually, at this enormous altitude, she would need an oxygen bottle. But nature has also thought: the blood of birds adapts to the extraordinary stress. The average travel speed of migratory birds is between 50 and 95 kilometers per hour.
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When woodpeckers start knocking and chopping on the house, property owners have a problem. The best tip the experts can give: Use plaster that is as smooth as possible during construction, as this will prevent the animals from finding their feet. Find out what you should pay attention to and what options you can use to protect your facade against woodpecker damage.
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Why do woodpeckers knock on house facades?
More and more houses are being provided with thermal insulation in order to meet the high requirements in terms of energy efficiency. Often, Styrofoam panels or similar material are used, which are then provided with a thin layer of plaster. Anyone who has knocked on it knows the faint sound that it creates. For woodpeckers, this sounds like so-called rotten wood: ideal for searching for food underneath or building a nesting cave, reports the Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) on its website. If woodpeckers find enough hold on the house, unwanted damage is not uncommon.
Tips against woodpeckers on the house: Smooth plaster
The best tip against the knocking birds: Make sure that woodpeckers cannot find a hold on the house, because the birds usually only need the smallest bumps in the plaster. You should therefore make sure that the plaster is as fine-grained and smooth as possible during construction or during the renovation work. Accordingly, NABU advises against using decorative plaster with an uneven surface. Facade facing with so-called brick facing is also a good alternative to plaster. This is especially true for those buildings that are located near parks with many trees and a corresponding population of woodpeckers.
Deterrence by flutter tapes
When woodpeckers start tampering with the house, quick help is required, because otherwise the birds can cause great damage to the facade and the insulation. Woodpeckers often build more nests than they actually need during the breeding season. A tip from bird conservationists: simple deterrent measures keep woodpeckers away from the house. For example, stretch lines with ribbons of different colors that move in the wind. Aluminum foil or CDs are also suitable for this.
Important tip: It is not enough to hang up such a ribbon once. You have to move it around regularly and place it differently. Otherwise, the birds will get used to it and soon knock on the house facade again.
Tips for facade protection
Alternatively, you can cover your facade with a mesh or wire. However, that doesn’t look really nice. If you decide to take this step anyway, you should make sure that the net is very taut. Otherwise, woodpeckers will get caught on the house protection and die in agony, warns NABU.
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Other protective measures are also suitable for particularly sensitive points on the house facade. House corners can be protected with metal plates, for example. Façade greening using climbing plants such as ivy is also effective. In this way you make it more difficult for birds to access the facade. Tip: It is best to use coarse-meshed climbing aids here. Incidentally, if you catch a woodpecker in the act, you can chase it away with a loud clap.