Mass. community trying to save thriving bird colony as habitat threatened

HADLEY, Mass. — They eat mosquitoes and other insects, but since the 1980s, the population of barn swallows has decreased dramatically in New England. In Hadley, there's an effort to save a large, thriving colony of birds from the federal government's potential plan to demolish the barn they've been migrating to spring after spring.

For years, the largest known colony of barn swallows in Massachusetts has been faithful to a barn in Hadley.

"Adult barn swallows are very faithful to nesting sites. This colony's extraordinary because one, it's so large... two, numbers have been increasing since monitoring was implemented, while at other sites barn swallows are decreasing," said Mara Silver, Save Our Swallows.

The barn swallows in the Bri-Mar Stable have an advantage over other colonies because the structure is located on a federal wildlife refuge.

But for several years now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has marked the Bri-Mar Stable for possible demolition and the agency tells Boston 25 News a final decision is coming soon.

Barn swallows are not an endangered species nor even a threatened one in the United States but their numbers have declined pretty dramatically in Massachusetts over the past few decades. It's unknown why but one reason might be the decline in agriculture here because that means fewer barns for them to live in.

Fish and Wildlife says the barn is "in very poor condition... with a leaky roof... and substantial structure rot."

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reviewed all the available information and we plan to announce our decision on Bri-Mar Stable soon. We have evaluated all comments received during the Environmental Assessment process in consideration of safety, the well-being of birds and other wildlife, and the responsible use and management of public resources. We are committed to choosing a course of action that is sustainable and compatible with the purposes of the refuge and the mission of the Service."

Silver and others formed "Save Our Swallows" to stop the demolition.

"We have filed an intent to sue," said Silver.

The group admits the building needs a new roof, but claim its structure is sound.

"We don't know where they would go. We don't know what kind of habitat is available for them in the region," said Silver.

Right now, the Hadley barn swallows are somewhere south of the U.S. border for the winter months. They'll return in early May, which means Save Our Swallows has about five months to save their stable.

"If we can't save a declining population of native migratory species on a refuge especially a colony that's thriving amongst regional population declines... there's a problem," said Silver.

Cox Media Group