News - Cornwall Swallow Study
University of Exeter press release
A University of Exeter biologist from the Tremough Campus, Penryn, is seeking the help of local people for a major new project. MSc student Mary-Anne Collis is asking for people in West Cornwall to come forward and get involved with a swallow survey.
Swallows have been in decline across Europe since the 1970s. The reason for their decline is not know, but is thought to be the result of changing farming practices, which have resulted in reduced nesting sites. In 2004, a British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) survey showed that swallows prefer nesting near to cattle grazed grasslands. However, very few Cornish sites were included in the survey, and West Cornwall was not involved at all.
Mary-Anne will survey breeding swallows in and around Truro, Helston and the Lizard and would like to hear from anyone who owns farmland in that area, or who has seen swallows nesting nearby. She will need access to the land to monitor the nest site preferences and breeding success of swallows. Her research will add vital information from West Cornwall to the BTO's 2004 report. By finding out more about the nesting preferences of swallows, she hopes groups like the BTO will help provide more suitable nesting sites for these birds.
University of Exeter student Mary-Anne Collis says: "I would like to get the community involved in this project and need to find out about agricultural practises in use today and in the past. This research can help us understand the criteria swallows use to choose a nest site and the benefits of different farming methods to their survival. Hedgerows are thought to be beneficial to foraging swallows and Cornish hedges are known for their amazing biodiversity, so it will be interesting to find out whether swallows fare better here than elsewhere in the country."
Usually seen in flight, the swallow is one of the most agile birds and can be recognised by their red throats and distinctive tail streamers. They can be seen in the UK between March and October before migrating south for the winter. Mary-Anne plans to start her survey in March, when they arrive in Cornwall to breed.
Many of Mary-Anne's fellow students are going abroad for their research projects, but Mary-Anne decided to do something closer to home. She says: "Staying local for my research provides the perfect opportunity for me to experience a real Cornish Summer."
Swallows return to their nests each year so if they were nesting there last year they will most likely be there this year. Anyone who knows swallows nest near them or on their land is invited to contact Mary-Anne or Andy McGowan on 01326 254190. Please leave your name, address and a telephone number so the research team can contact you.
The £100 million Tremough campus is a Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative of which the University of Exeter and University College Falmouth are two of the founding partners. It is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council. Set in 70 acres of countryside, but close to the waterside towns of Penryn and Falmouth, the campus offers a lively student community. The University of Exeter now offers degrees in Biology, Modern Celtic and Cornish Studies, English, Geology, Geography, History, Law, Mining Engineering, Politics and Renewable Energy on its Tremough Campus, which has expanded rapidly as part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative.