Empty nesting boxes outside Cassis’ office window – no decoy calls
Published: Wednesday, May 29th 2024, 19:20
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Twelve nesting boxes for swifts installed years ago at the Federal Palace in Bern have not attracted any birds apart from sparrows. Because the boxes hang outside the office window of Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, the experts did not attract the birds with calls for the time being.
Martin Schuck, deputy managing director of Birdlife Switzerland, confirmed corresponding information from Blick.ch to the news agency Keystone-SDA on Wednesday.
In spring, ornithologists could have attracted swifts with decoy calls from a tape recorder. There are sound devices that can play the calls of swifts near colonies to draw attention to potential breeding sites. So far, this has not been used at the Bundeshaus.
Schuck said that the responsible people at the Federal Palace had come to the conclusion that it would not be unproblematic to install such technical devices within earshot of Foreign Minister Ignazo Cassis' office. Security considerations had also played a role.
The bird expert expressed optimism that wall swifts or alpine swifts will still take up residence at the Bundeshaus in the next few years. Two boxes are now occupied by house sparrows: one on the Aare side and another towards the city center.
Twelve nesting boxes were installed at the Federal Palace in spring 2021 to promote the endangered alpine and swift birds. The idea was launched by the then President of the National Council and ornithologist Andreas Aebi (SVP/BE). The protected building breeders are only in Switzerland in summer and build their nests exclusively on buildings, under roofs, in shutter boxes or skylights. Swifts return to their old nests every year.
©Keystone/SDA
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