Hello Ohio Birders,

I recollect finding dead swallows during a similar stretch of cool and damp
weather in New England (June of 1953, I think).  Purple martins seemed to
be especially vulnerable and I don't think their numbers ever recovered, at
least while I was living there. I presumed they were stressed by lack of
food.  Swallows do not enjoy the luxury of picking slow-moving insects off
vegetation (or suet from feeders).  

Dave Horn
Columbus


Original Message:
-----------------
From: R. Cook [log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 12:31:22 -0400
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [Ohio-birds] Dead Swallows in Lorain county


We spent the morning walking some of the trails at Sandy Ridge Metropark in
North Ridgeville, and were disturbed at the number (6 to 8) of dead
swallows (both tree and barn) along the paths. Others seemed to be so
(weak?) they didn't fly more than a few feet before re-landing.
Since I haven't heard of any malady afflicting birds, I am assuming this
spring's continued cold, windy, and rainy weather may have delayed the
normal insect spawns enough to reduce the Swallow's food supply and be the
cause of this ?
Anybody heard or seen similar occurrences elsewhere ?

  Bob

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Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
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