Tomasz Buczek
Ornis Polonica 2022, 63: 337–346
https://doi.org/10.12657/ornis.2022.4.3
Abstract: The study of the distribution and abundance of the population of the Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica was carried out in years 2016–2017 in the entire administrative area of Lublin (147.47 km2) in SE Poland. The studied population consisted of 233 pairs, including 166 pairs (1.45 p/10 ha) nesting in extensive suburban housing areas and 67 pairs (2.03 p/10 ha) in high-rise multi-family housing estates and intensive single-family housing areas. In the last two decades, an increase in the number of swallows in Lublin has been observed. Barn Swallows nested in the vicinity of areas with a high proportion of biologically active surface (i.e. areas ensuring natural vegetation along with the surface water acreage), such as farmland areas and river valleys. The average distance from rivers was 524 m (0–2950 m; N = 166) in the suburban zone and 98 m (0–265 m; N = 67) in the urban zone. In suburban and extensive single-family housing areas 74% of the Barn Swallows nested in buildings intended for raising and breeding large animals: stables, cowsheds and piggeries. In the urban zone they chose unusual breeding locations, e.g. under bridge spans (16.4% pairs) and in underground garages (13.4%). Most of the nests found in farm buildings (68.3%; N = 142) were located on the walls by the ceiling.
Keywords: abundance, Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica, bird synurbization, distribution, Lublin
