Tuesday 25 June 2019

[cobirds] Black Swift nesting failure??

All-

Visited Box Canyon Falls Park in Ouray today - once in mid-afternoon and again at around 7 pm. 

Located 4 nests - one empty and three with single eggs. All were unattended throughout both times I was there. That is consistent with what the woman at the park visitor center told me has been the case for several days. I would assume that the eggs are unviable as a result.

Does anyone know what might have cased all these nests to be abandoned? My guess is that the unusually cold and wet weather in the last few weeks has impacted their favored prey (flying ants, according to Birds of America Online) and that the food shortage has caused the nest abandonment. (BofA has no info on nest abandonments)

Would be interested in everyone's thoughts.

I later saw at least two Black Swifts above the town at about 730 pm. They were high up, far above a large flock of Violet-green Swallows. So at least a few birds are around, if not necessarily nesting.




Andrew Melnykovych
Louisville KY

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