In May, the swifts are back, and with them the fine weather!
The first reports of swifts in the mountains and on the Neuchâtel coast were received in mid-April. However, it wasn’t until early May that Black Swifts were seen regularly in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
In some years, a few individuals arrive as scouts and very discreetly make their way to the nesting sites. Difficult to observe, these birds can nevertheless be spotted by people who know that their home is home to swifts.
All summer long, swifts enliven the watchmaking metropolis with their typical flight. Enjoy watching them, as they head for warmer climes from August onwards.
If you haven’t heard the call of a flock of swifts yet, you can listen to it on the Sempach ornithological station website.
We encourage owners of suitable buildings to place nest boxes under the roof to encourage this emblematic species. These are on sale at the museum for CHF 30 each.
To order, please contact us on 032 967 60 71 or info@muzoo.ch.
Here’s a tip if you’re putting up nesting boxes in a place the swifts haven’t yet reached: put a loudspeaker on a windowsill and play the above calls between 9 and 10 a.m. and 7 and 9 p.m., or when the birds are nearby.
