Thats a very interesting effort Neil sir. I am also inspired. Here at our garden, they use similar boxes for bats and its very successful. Artificial shelters have been used a lot in many other countries too for birds and have been successful. If you just put artificial nest on google you may find many designs. Usha mam, you may also try ARTIFICIAL NEST on google and you will see something interesting for your swallows. http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/per/b4loc.htm
Best wishes Pankaj On Tuesday, 27 March 2012 15:41:05 UTC+8, Neil wrote: > > Hi, > Thought this might be interesting : > > > > > In 2007 I undertook this pilot study on my forested property at > Shahapur, 100 kms north of Bombay. > > > > https://picasaweb.google.com/113756149687515321536?feat=email > > > > Ten nesting boxes were constructed in August 2007 and were put up > in-situ in December 2007 [Please see Nesting Boxes 1 in the link]. > > In photograph 2 – > > - the top left was meant for Mynas > > - the top middle was for Woodpeckers > > - the top right for Barn Owls > > - the boxes in the lower row were for cavity nesters / > hole-nesting birds. > > > > The study has carried on to the present day. > > My observations: [Please see Nesting Boxes 2 in the link]. > > - Most of the openings of the nesting-boxes were enlarged either > by squirrels or other rodents [ photograph 1] > > - Perches on the nesting boxes had to be removed in some to > discourage squirrel activity [photograph 1]. > > - Marauding tribals trashed many of the boxes [photograph 2] > either out of curiosity or to get at the squirrel drey’s inside [photograph > 5]. > > - Trashed nesting boxes were at times repaired and reused > [photograph > 3] > > - Only one nesting box was used for the purpose for which they > were meant – a pair of Oriental Magpie-robins managed 2 broods in one year > [2009] and that too in a trashed box [photograph 4]. > > - Many other animals used the boxes [photographs 5 -14]. > > At present only one nesting-box remains. As the experiment was a > relative failure, I have terminated it. > > With regards, > > Neil Soares. > > > P.S. – My thanks to Jayesh Timbadia for creating this link and also for > assisting me in this study > >
