Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – “On the birth of Mary, the swallows fly ford,” goes an old proverb. As reported by the Nature Conservation Union (Nabu), some of the swallows in the south-west missed their traditional departure day on September 8th. For example, swallows were still sighted in the Heilbronn district.
“If the young birds are still in the nest, it can happen that the swallows later fly south,” explains a Nabu ornithologist about the delayed departure. However, Nabu assumes that the stragglers will soon set off for their winter quarters in southern Africa and advises local residents not to remove the swallows’ nests after departure.
Like many other birds, swallows remember the location of their nests and then move into them again in the spring. “Whether house or yard, whoever has the opportunity should support swallows with tolerance towards their nesting sites on buildings,” says the ornithologist.
