A New Brunswick non-profit, the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee, is urging the public to report sightings of bank swallows, a bird species that has seen a population decline of up to 99% due to pesticide use and habitat loss. Caitlyn Duncanson, the committee’s biodiversity co-ordinator, explained that bank swallows need eroding banks for nesting, which are often stabilized by human interference. The use of neonicotinoid insecticides has also significantly reduced their food supply, as these insects are killed alongside their targets. Although their population is dwindling in Canada, bank swallows are reportedly doing better globally. The committee has created a guide to help people identify and protect remaining colonies and is seeking volunteers for monitoring efforts across New Brunswick, especially in areas like Edmundston and Woodstock. They also aim to promote habitat conservation projects, such as those at Youghall Beach in Bathurst, where protective measures are being established for the birds’ nesting sites.
Source link
