Frequently asked questions about the Bank Swallow

Environment and Climate Change Canada wishes to consult with you regarding the proposed Recovery Strategy for the Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) in Canada. Here are some frequently asked questions on the Bank Swallow.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a Bank Swallow?
• Why are Bank Swallows at risk?
• Why are Bank Swallows declining?
• Why did I receive a consultation post card?
• Why did I see a consultation advertisement on social media?
• Where do Bank Swallows nest?
• Where do Bank Swallows feed?
• How are Bank Swallows protected?
• What is critical habitat?
• How is critical habitat defined for Bank Swallow?
• How does SARA protect species at risk on private land?
• Are there any exceptions to the prohibitions?
• What is the role of the sand and gravel industry in protecting Bank Swallows?
• How can I help protect the Bank Swallow?
• How can I share my observations of Bank Swallows?
• Have you seen a roost?
• How were Indigenous People, provinces and territories consulted on this recovery strategy?
• How can I comment on the recovery strategy?

What is a Bank Swallow?

The Bank Swallow is a migratory bird. It is the smallest swallow in Canada. It can be distinguished from other swallows by its large brown band across the upper part of the chest. Both sexes look alike.

You might have seen nesting colonies along river cliffs, lakeshores, coasts, sandpits and road cuts.

Why are Bank Swallows at risk?

Bank Swallow numbers have declined by more than 90% since the 1970s. The decline continues, particularly in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime provinces.

In 2013, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assessed Bank Swallow at a status of threatened because the species declined by more than 30 percent over the previous decade.

The Bank Swallow was listed as threatened on the Species at Risk Act (SARA) in 2017.

Why are Bank Swallows declining?

The causes of its decline are unclear. Multiple factors are likely having a cumulative impact on the species. The most likely threats are:

• loss of breeding and foraging habitats
• widespread use of pesticides
• impacts of climate change

Why did I receive a consultation post card?

If you have received a consultation post card, it is because some of the proposed critical habitat for the Bank Swallow is on or near your property. Environment and Climate Change Canada wishes to consult with landowners regarding the proposed Recovery Strategy for the Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) in Canada.

Why did I see a consultation advertisement on social media?

If you have seen a consultation advertisement on social media, proposed critical habitat for the Bank Swallow might be found on or near your property. Environment and Climate Change Canada wishes to consult with you regarding the proposed Recovery Strategy for the Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) in Canada.

Where do Bank Swallows nest?

Bank Swallows nest in colonies along river cliffs, lake shores, coasts, sandpits and road cuts. The birds dig burrows on steep banks made of silt, sand or organic material.

Bank Swallows generally nest from May to August. Bank Swallows can start building burrows as early as mid-April. For more information on the nesting period of Bank Swallows in your region, you can consult the nesting calendar query tool available through Birds Canada.

Where do Bank Swallows feed?

Bank Swallows feed on flying insects over open-country habitats, such as wetlands, beaches, grasslands, or hayfields. Bank Swallows can forage over agricultural fields where insects are present.

How are Bank Swallows protected?

The Bank Swallow is a migratory bird protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994. The nests of Bank Swallows, individuals and their eggs are protected across the country.

Because the Bank Swallow is a species at risk, its residence is also protected by the Species at Risk Act. The occupied burrow is considered a residence from the date when adults are first seen entering or leaving the burrow to the date when a bird is last seen at the burrow.

Find out more: Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia): residence description - Canada.ca

The Bank Swallow might be protected by provincial or territorial laws. It is your responsibility to know which laws and regulations apply.

What is critical habitat?

Critical habitat is the habitat that is necessary for the survival and recovery of the species. Identifying critical habitat for species at risk is a key part of a recovery strategy.

How is critical habitat defined for Bank Swallow?

Proposed critical habitat for the Bank Swallow includes nesting habitat and foraging habitat.

Proposed critical habitat is only found in areas identified in the recovery strategy for the Bank Swallow. You can find maps of proposed critical habitat in the recovery strategy. Within areas identified in the recovery strategy, the proposed critical habitat generally corresponds to:

• a vertical or near-vertical face made of erodible material in natural settings, for nesting habitat
• open habitats that produce insects, such as wetlands, salt marshes, grasslands, and hayfields, for foraging habitat

Nesting habitat in human-made settings, such as sandpits and quarries, is not critical habitat for the Bank Swallow. Places unsuitable for the Bank Swallow to forage are not critical habitat. Those places include lawns, golf courses, roads and buildings. Remember that the Species at Risk Act protects the residence, the eggs and individuals of the Bank Swallow everywhere, even outside of critical habitat.

How does SARA protect species at risk on private land?

You can learn about the protection of species at risk and their habitats on private land by visiting the Education Centre Webpage.

Are there any exceptions to the prohibitions?

You can learn about the exceptions to the Species at Risk Act prohibitions by visiting the Education Centre Webpage.

What is the role of the sand and gravel industry in protecting Bank Swallows?

The sand and gravel industry can play a major role in the conservation of Bank Swallows by adopting operating practices that do not harm the species.

Find out more: Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) in sandpits and quarries - Canada.ca

How can I help protect the Bank Swallow?

Bank Swallows need a place to nest. To protect the Bank Swallow:

• reduce the risk of harming the birds by staying or working away from colonies
• find out if you need a permit to conduct activities on or near critical habitat
  • Species at Risk Act: information note for landowners - Canada.ca
• plan your activities before the Swallows arrive and begin nesting (generally before mid-April)

Bank Swallows need a place to forage, and insects to feed on. To protect the Bank Swallow:

• find alternative to pesticides that are more bird friendly
• as a farmer, you can grow multiple crops that work together to repel pest insects
• as a landowner, you can plant a diverse garden of native plants
• avoid draining or filling wetlands

How can I share my observations of Bank Swallows?

You can share your observations with the conservation data centre in your province or territory, or on the eBird platform. Remember to:

• provide the precise location of your observation
• describe the place where the colony was found (natural or human-made setting)
• indicate how many Bank Swallows or burrows you saw

Have you seen a roost?

Before leaving Canada for the winter, large numbers of Bank Swallows and other species gather in small areas to spend the night. Those areas are known as roosts. Bank Swallows roost in wetlands of cattail, Phragmites or other tall vegetation. Roosts of swallows are difficult to observe because the birds gather at dusk and leave at dawn!

Environment and Climate Change Canada and Nature Canada look at weather radar images to find large roosts and investigate the potential of those roosts to be important for the survival and recovery of Bank Swallow.

If you have seen a roost, you can share your observation at ec.planificationduretablissement-recoveryplanning.ec@canada.ca. You can also share your observations with the conservation data centre in your province or territory, or on the eBird platform.

How were Indigenous People, provinces and territories consulted on this recovery strategy?

Since 2018, Environment and Climate Change Canada has worked with Wildlife Management Boards, provinces and territories, as well as the Parks Canada Agency, to develop the recovery strategy for the Bank Swallow.

Two rounds of consultation on the recovery strategy were conducted with Indigenous People, provinces and territories in December 2020 and March 2021.

How can I comment on the recovery strategy?

Comments on the content of the proposed Recovery Strategy for the Bank Swallow in Canada are being sought during the current 90-day consultation period.

To submit comments or for more information on the consultation process, contact us at ec.planificationduretablissement-recoveryplanning.ec@canada.ca or 1-800-668-6767 (toll-free).

In your message, please provide your name, address, email address and telephone number.