Ptitsy Ivanovskoi oblasti [Birds of the Ivanovo Region]

Report on

The Birds of the Ivanovo Region

Gerasimov, Yu.N. Sal’nikov, G.M., Buslaev, S.V. 2000. Ptitsy Ivanovskoi oblasti [Birds of the Ivanovo Region] (Russian). Moscow, Kamchatka Institute of Ecology and Land Management, 125 p.

(APUSlist No. 2746)

by JEVGENI SHERGALIN

Common Swift – Apus apus (p. 54)

The Common Swift is common, and in certain areas a numerous breeding species. Breeds in colonies in tall buildings.

In the 1950’s M.A.Bubnov (1958) recorded Common Swift arrival between 25 May and 1 June. In the 1980’s we observed the first birds during 15 to 23 May, with an average for 8 years of observations of 19 May. At the time of writing the arrival of the Common Swift takes place 7 to 10 days earlier than it did 30 to 40 years ago.

The birds build nests from the end of May to the beginning of June. They leave around 20 August. For several days after the departure of the local birds, small passage flocks can sometimes be seen. The latest record is 1 September 1975.