Branta Issues > Issue №1 (1998)

About breeding of Swallow and House Martin in the limestone precipices

Chemichko I.I., Chemichko R.N.

A tendency to reinhabit natural biotopes has been recorded recently for Swallow (Hirundo rustica) and House Martin (Delichon urbica). These typical synanthropic species werefound breeding in natural habitats. 7 pairs of Swallow bred under granite stones hanging over the water in 1983-1994 on the river Yusniy Bug near town of Pervomaisk.

Somewhat more interesting settlements were found on the precipices of Tarkhankut peninsula (coast of the Black Sea in the N-W Crimea). In May 1991 we found a mixed settlement of 4 species: Swallow, House Martin, Swift and Starling. The birds bred in the coastal limestone precipices, which were up to 25 metres in height. The settlement was situated in a long niche measuring 10-12 metres, at a height of 1.8-2.3 metres. Moulded nests of Swallows (n=4) were built on the ‘‘ceiling” of the niche, whereas House Martins (n=30) occupied small niches and did not make moulded nests at all. Starlings made their nests in some of the deeper holes among nest niches of House Martins. Swifts settled in the upper part at the height of 15 metres in the cracks in limestone. A similar settlement of Swift and House Martin was found in the south-western part of Tarchankut peninsula (cape Uret).