several types of the swallows can be summarized on the basis of its Nistverhaltens as "Erdhöhlenschwalben", under them the shore-swallows.
Way of life they build its nests in tubes at natural or artificial steep-walls, in grit or sandboxes or directly at steep riversides. All types love the water-proximity on that occasion. Often, they come the race of the rivers to catch about its insect-food in the flight after its expeditions; however, one finds it over fields and grassland-ships as well. So one of the biggest types, the African white-brow-swallow (Riparia cincta), is rather independently from the water and catches big insects over the open grassland of the Congo-area. The white-brow-swallow also is little sociably, broods usually isolated and not in colonies like many other types.
As distinct colony-breeder, the shore-swallow (Riparia riparia) is known also in the German spread-area. it advances Europe, Asia and North America as brood-bird in whole as far as at the polar circle; its hibernation-areas lie near the equator. it doesn't arrive before beginning May with us and leaves the area once again in August. Most of all it likes to brood at riversides how already its name says, in fact often rather high in steep-walls. If it, above all in the northern brood-areas, is shortage of suitable locations, one finds it also in ground-proximity.
Brood The actual nest lies at the end of a tube, that is normally dug by both partners. A quantity is work with it interconnected, because the 4-6 cm wide walk is usually approximately 60 cm long and is widened on the end of a Nistkammer. The nest-tube of the Braunkehluferschwalbe (R). paludicola, often is even longer (120 cm). So it is comprehensible that many pairs are location-loyal and look year again for its old nest-tube for year. It also occurs that existing, artificial holes are assumed; then, however, the installation of the Nistkammer can deviate considerably. This is always from-dressed with hair and feathers carefully.
On the 12-16 days, males and females incubate the 4-5 eggs. If the nest-stools slipped, care is taken of them by both alto-birds. Initially, the parents must advance with each feeding-process as far as at the Nistkammer, later however, the boys come to the entrance of the tube. From this time at nächtigen the parents no more in the Nistkammer. After approximately 3 weeks, the squabs are the nest airworthy and abandoned.
Shape Our shore-swallow is the smallest swallow Eurasia with 12 cm of length. its back is erdbraun, the underside knows with brown breast-bond; the tail is little bifurcate.
Endangering The shore-swallow is on the red list of the endangered types with us since more and more river and brook-shores are obstructed.
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