11.12 – Thursday 28 March 2024
(The following text is taken entirely from the press note sent to the Opinion Agency) –
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A new study conducted by MUSE, Lipu and the University of Milan clarifies the ecological role in the stables of these precious migratory birds. If a swallow doesn’t make a summer, an article published recently in the international journal Journal of Applied Ecology does. The study conducted by MUSE – Trento Science Museum, Lipu and the University of Milan investigated the “role” of these birds in cattle farming. The research has in fact evaluated the effect that the presence and abundance of swallows inside the stables of Val di Non, in Trentino, can have on the activity rate of flies, their potential prey and carriers of various pathogens and stress for the livestock raised.
The abundance of swallows and flies was measured for 16 weeks in nine different farms in Val di Non, Trentino, occupied or not by nesting swallows. From April to August 2022, weekly data were collected on fly activity rate and swallow presence, brood size, and number and age of chicks. Through appropriate statistical models it was therefore possible to quantify the effect of swallows on these insects. The results show how the activity rate of the flies increases, as expected, with temperature and over the course of the season; however, this increase appears much less marked in the presence of swallows and further limited when swallows are relatively abundant. At a temperature of 22°, the study reports, the local presence of 25 swallows corresponds to an average reduction of over 60% in the activity rate of flies compared to what would occur in a stable without swallows.
“The collaboration of the Trentino breeders involved in the project was fundamental – comments Alberto Bertocchi of Lipu of Trento. – Thanks to the collaboration of the Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health Unit of Trentino, we have also managed to formulate a protocol to follow inside the stables with swallow nests, in order to allow their presence without it creating “obstacles” , laying the foundations for their protection and to ensure that farmers can benefit from their precious contribution”.
The Hirundo rustica swallow is an iconic species of the countryside of many countries and one of the best-known migratory birds. Despite being a species of great ecological importance and strongly rooted in the peasant culture of many areas, between 1980 and 2021 on our continent the swallow, according to data from the Farmland bird index, suffered a decline of 19%. The intensification of agriculture, insecticides and climate change add to other impacts that affect both the wintering and breeding areas of this migratory species. Factors such as habitat degradation in sub-Saharan Africa, the reduced availability of nesting sites in Europe and the general decline in insects are in fact negatively influencing its reproduction and survival.
Francesca Roseo, leading author of the article together with Marco Salvatori, both researchers at MUSE – Science Museum of Trento, Conservation Biology Sector, recalls the reasons behind this work and its implications even on a large scale:
“This study was strongly supported by MUSE, Lipu and the University of Milan, because the decline of this charismatic species and many other lesser-known insectivorous birds is truly worrying. We need innovative approaches to counteract the decline of biodiversity in the agricultural and livestock sector and finding synergies between human activities and biodiversity conservation is fundamental. Furthermore, if we want to achieve the objectives of crucial initiatives for sustainability at a global level, such as those of Agenda 2030, the European Green Deal and the Global Stock Take drawn up at the latest COP28, we must seriously commit to applying Nature-Based Solutions ( Nature-based Solutions). In order to do this, we must first of all improve our scientific knowledge, so as to support sustainable development through truly robust assessments.”
“Swallows and farmers can be each other’s allies,” adds Mattia Brambilla, ecologist at the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policies of the University of Milan. “This study represents an example of the ecosystem services that many species offer us, shedding light on the contribution of insectivorous birds in particular. The conservation of these animals also benefits farmers and consumers, and reminds us that we need ‘healthy’ and functioning ecosystems to meet the environmental challenges we face.”
Federica Luoni, head of agriculture for Lipu, recalls that “The dramatic decline in birds in agricultural environments, underway in Italy and Europe, is one of the main conservation needs. We need birds and biodiversity in our countryside, and this work further demonstrates how our own production system can benefit from their conservation, which is why national and European regulations, starting with the Common Agricultural Policy, should help in this sense and not steps backwards, as unfortunately has been happening in recent weeks.”
