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Colony Skurup

 

Photographs and text by Jan Holmgren

 

Skurup is situated about 10 km from the south coast of Sweden.

I opened the colony, with 16 holes in the gable, on 24 June 1990. It is in the centre of the area where I have studied Common Swifts roosting in the foliage of trees since 1982.

Newly fledged Common Swifts migrate southwards (towards Africa) on their own, mostly without the company of adult birds. In August, some of them choose to roost during the night in the foliage of trees, or on high masts, like the one in the left picture. Now, I have seen 63 swifts roost in trees, and 63 swifts roost on the mast. Those roosting on the mast are easiest to observe, since they often have to make numerous fly-ins towards the mast before they succeed to perch. Perhaps, some of them may have travelled far, from Finland, or even from Russia.

The 16 nest boxes can be inspected from the inside. In 1999, Common Swifts nested in the boxes B12, B14, and B16. One pair got established in B13, but too late to lay eggs. When Common Swifts are established as nesting birds, they normally return to the same nest as long as they live.

The first swift entered box 4 on 28 July 1990. In 1991 two swifts were close to get established in B14 or B15. However, one of them managed to get into the attic, and I had to catch and release it. After that, both swifts disappeared. In 1992 one pair had 2 eggs in B12, but the eggs did not hatch. Since then, young have been raised as follows; 1993: 2 young in B12, 1994: 2 eggs in B12 never hatched, 1995 2 young in B12, 1996: 2 young in B12, 1997: 3 young in B12, 1998: 1 young in B12, 1999: 2 young in B12, 2 young in B14, 2 young in B16, 2000:2 young in B12, 2 young in B13, 2 young in B14, 2 young in B16.

Two young Common Swifts, about 30 days old,  in B14 1999.

One adult and one young Common Swift in B16.

Phenological and breeding dates of Common Swifts at a colony in Skurup (55,4°N 13,5°E) Sweden          © Jan Holmgren

Year

Box nr

1:st arrival

2:nd arrival

1:st egg

2:nd egg

3:rd egg

1:st hatch

2:nd hatch

3:rd hatch

Mean incub days

1:st juv dep

2:nd juv dep

3:rd

juv dep

Mean nest time

1:st

ad leave

2:nd

ad leave

Note

Kullstorlek

1992

B13

28/5

31/5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moved to B12

B12

See B13

17/6

19/6

 

failed

failed

 

 

 

 

 

 

?

5/8

2 failed

1993

B12

11/5

15/5

24/5

25/5

 

failed

failed

 

 

 

 

 

 

?

?

2 failed

 

 

?

12/6

 

2/7?

7/7?

 

 

?

14/8

 

 

16/8

16/8

2

1994

B12

15/5

19/5

?

3/6

 

failed

failed

 

 

 

 

 

 

?

1/8

2 failed

1995

B12

18/5

24/5

3/6

5/6

 

23/6?

24/6

 

19

1/8

3/8

 

40

6/8

9/8

2

1996

B12

18/5

23/5

7/6

9/6

?

?

?

died

 

8/8

12/8

 

 

18/8

18/8

2+1 failed

1997

B12

25/5

31/5

?

11/6

?

?

?

?

 

8/8

9/8

13/8

 

14/8

15/8

3

1998

B12

28/5

30/5

9/6

?

 

failed

7/7

 

 

11/8

 

 

 

16/8

21/8

1+1 failed

1999

B8

1/6

7/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moved to B14

B12

24/5

30/5

?

?

 

 

 

 

 

1/8

2/8

 

 

3/8

14/8

2

B14

See B8

?

?

 

 

 

 

 

26/8

26/8

 

 

26/8

28/8

2

B16

29/5

31/5

?

?

 

 

 

 

 

10/8

13/8

 

 

14/8

15/8

2

2000

B12

19/5

23/5

?

?

 

 

 

 

 

1/8

3/8

 

 

16/8

17/8

2

B13

?

?

13/6

?

 

 

 

 

 

13/8

14/8

 

 

?

?

2

B14

?

?

13/6

?

 

 

 

 

 

15/8

18/8

 

 

18/8

19/8

2

B16

?

6/6

?

?

 

 

 

 

 

13/8

15/8

 

 

?

?

2

2001

B12

18/5

18/5

?

1/6

?

Eggs were ejected, also new 2 eggs ejected 23/7

?

?

3+2 all failed

B13

15/5

21/5

?

?

1/6

23/6?

Only one young, had departed 1/8

?

?

3

B14

22/5

6/6

17/6

?

 

Two young 20/7, still in 18/8

19/8

19/8

 

 

?

20/8

2

B16

28/5

1/6

13/6

?

 

Two young 20/7, still in 12/8

 

 

 

 

?

?

2

2002

B3

11/6

11/6

25/6

27/6

 

2 young

28/8

29/8

 

 

?

?

2

B12

17/5

19/5

27/5

29/5

31/5

2 young 22/6, 1 egg ejected

28/7

31/7

 

 

4/8

4/8

2+1 failed

B13

13/5

15/5

23/5

25/5

27/5

3 young 18/6

25/7

26/7

28/7

 

30/7

30/7

3

B14

23/5

26/5

8/6

10/6

 

2 young 9/7

9/8

10/8

 

 

?

?

2

B16

30/5

1/6

11/6

13/6

15/6

3 young 9/7

10/8

12/8

14/8

 

?

?

3

Year

Box nr

1:st arrival

2:nd arrival

1:st egg

2:nd egg

3:rd egg

1:st hatch

2:nd hatch

3:rd hatch

Mean incub days

1:st juv dep

2:nd juv dep

3:rd

juv dep

Actual duration of 1st chick stay in nest (departure day counted)

1:st

ad leave

2:nd

ad leave

Note

Kullstorlek

2003

B3

1/6

2/6

17/6

20/6

 

5/7

 

 

 

18/8

 

 

44

 

 

2

B12

16/5

19/5

28/5

30/5

 

Eggs were ejected before 10/6

 

 

 

 

 

2 failed

 

 

18/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

18/8

18/8

 

 

 

 

2

B13

22/5

22/5

29/5

31/5

2/6

3 young 23/6, one died 28/6

1/8

2/8

 

39

2/8

2/8

2+1 failed

B14

10/6

14/6

27/6

?

 

17/7

19/7

 

 

30/8

?

 

44

 

 

2

B16

26/5

28/5

9/6

11/6

 

28/6

 

 

19

7/8

8/8

 

40 39

 

 

2

2004

B3

28/5

28/5

4/6

6/6

 

 

 

 

 

5/8

6/8

 

 

 

 

2

B12

28/5

29/5

6/6

8/6

 

 

 

 

 

6/8

7/8

 

 

 

 

2

B13

17/5

30/5

?

17/6

 

 

 

 

 

13/8

14/8

 

 

 

 

2

B14

31/5

31/5

7/6

10/6

?

 

 

 

 

9/8

11/8

?

 

 

 

3

B16

26/5

27/5

?

8/6

?

27/6?

 

 

 

6/8

7/8

10/8

 

 

 

3

2005

B1

25/5

30/5

14/6

16/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1+1 failed

B3

16/5

23/5

30/5?

2/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

B12

24/5

26/5

8/6

10/6

12/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

B13

14/5

21/5

1/6

3/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

B14

21/5

22/5

12/6

14/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

B16

21/5

22/5

31/5

3/6

?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

2006

B1

5/5

12/5

1/6

3/6

 

 

 

 

 

(2/8)

(2/8)

 

 

6/8

6/8

(Lund exp)

2

B3

23/5

24/5

1/6

3/6

 

 

 

 

 

4/8

5/8

 

 

5/8

7/8

2

B12

18/5

24/5

2/6

4/6

 

 

 

 

 

2/8

 

 

 

3/8

3/8

1+1 failed

B13

12/5

19/5

3/6

5/6

 

 

 

 

 

3/8

3/8

 

 

4/8

4/8

2

B14

13/5

26/5

14/6

16/6

 

 

 

 

 

14/8

18/8

 

 

11/8

20/8

2

B15

2/6

5/6

18/6

20/6

 

 

 

 

 

21/8

 

 

 

19/8

21/8

2

 

 

Year

Box nr

1:st arrival

2:nd arrival

1:st egg

2:nd egg

3:rd egg

1:st hatch

2:nd hatch

3:rd hatch

Juv

ring date

1:st juv dep

2:nd juv dep

Actual duration of 1st chick stay in nest (departure day counted)

1:st

ad leave

2:nd

ad leave

Note

Kullstorlek

2007

B1

12/5

20/5

31/5

2/6

4/6

 

 

failed

 

3/8

6/8

 

26/7

6/8

2+1 failed

B3

16/5

20/5

28/5

30/5

 

 

 

 

 

27/7

29/7

 

5/8

6/8

2

B12

14/5

19/5

26/5

28/5

30/5

 

 

failed

 

26/7

29/7

 

3/8

4/8

2+1 failed

B13

12/5

23/5

29/5

31/5

2/6

 

 

failed

 

(29/7)

(29/7)

 

3/8

4/8

(Lund exp)

2+1 failed

B15

23/5

26/5

2/6

4/6

 

 

 

 

 

3/8

4/8

 

6/8

7/8

2

2008

B1

25/5

25/5

2/6

5/6

8/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7/8

(Lund exp)

3

B3

15/5

16/5

23/5

25/5

27/5

 

 

 

 

27/7

28/7

29/7

 

 

3

B12

9/5

19/5

26/5

28/5

30/5

 

 

 

 

 

 

29/7

 

 

3

B13

16/5

25/5

2/6

4/6

6/6

 

 

 

 

 

5/8

5/8

7/8

9/8

F arrived 20/5 evict in fight

3

B15

18/5

24/5

2/6

5/6

8/6

 

24/6

3:rd young dead 29/6

 

5/8

 

8/8

9/8

2+1 failed

2009

B1

10/5

18/5

26/5

28/5

30/5

 

 

 

28/7

27/7

(28/7)

(28/7)

19/7

28/7*

(Lund exp)

*Logger 28/7

3

B3

16/5

19/5

26/5

28/5

30/5

 

 

 

18/7

28/7

28/7

29/7

28/7*

28/7*

*Logger 28/7

3

B12

15/5

16/5

26/5

28/5

30/5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 failed

 

 

24/6

26/6

 

 

 

 

10/8

21/8

22/8

 

21/8

21/8

2 replacement

B13

9/5

24/5

3/6

5/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 failed

 

 

22/6

24/6

 

12/7

13/7

 

10/8

22/8

22/8

41

21/8

22/8*

*Logger 22/8

2 replacement

B15

15/5*

21/5

2/6

4/6

 

23/6

24/6

 

23/7

3/8

5/8

41

30/7*

4/8*

*Logger 20/5 & 4/8

2

 

Year

Box nr

1:st arrival

2:nd arrival

1:st egg

2:nd egg

3:rd egg

1:st hatch

2:nd hatch

3:rd hatch

Juv

ring date

1:st juv dep

2:nd juv dep

Actual duration of 1st chick stay in nest (departure day counted)

1:st

ad leave

2:nd

ad leave

Note

Kullstorlek

2010

B1

23/5

 

6/6

8/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

B13

23/5

 

14/6

16/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

*Logger

2

B15

26/5

 

6/6

8/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

*

*Logger

2

2011

B11

20/5

29/5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B13

20/5

21/5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B15

24/5

30/5

8/6

10/6

 

28/6

29/6

 

 

 

 

 

6/8

12/8*

*Logger 12/8

2

2012

B11

20/5

22/5

29/5

?

 

?

?

 

 

28/7

29/7

 

26/7

28/7

2

B15

28/5

13/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013

B11

15/5

15/5

15/6

17/6

 

 

 

 

 

16/8

17/8

 

 

 

2

B14

30/5

30/5

9/6

11/6

 

1/7

 

 

 

9/8

12/8

39

16/8*

16/8*

*Logger 16/8

2

B15

16/5

24/5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014

B11

13/5

19/5

 

 

 

25/6

failed

 

 

5/8

 

41

7/8

8/8

1+1 failed

B14

20/5

22/5

 

 

 

6/7

 

 

 

13/8

15/8

38

6/8

13/8

2

2015

B11

30/5

30/5

 

 

 

28/6

?

 

 

?

11/8

 

 

 

2

B14

20/5

30/5

 

 

 

?

?

 

 

17/8

22/8

 

 

 

2

Bezzel, E. 1985. Kompendium der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Aula-Verkag, Wiesbaden.

Lack, D. & Lack, E. 1951. The breeding biology of the Swift Apus apus. Ibis 93(4): 501-546.

Weitnauer, E. 1980. "Mein Vogel" Aus dem Leben des Mauerseglers Apus apus. Basellandschaftlicher Natur- und Vogelschutzverband, Liestal.

 

 

Note: The “median” is in the middle of a row of specified dates.

 

For dates from the colony in Berlin, Germany please click here.

 

To see the Common Swift calendar, click here.

 

Other colonies

 

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