The webcams are categorical: the first swallows have arrived.
Many French people, and among them Marc Hay from
BFMTV
, were looking forward to them.
The weather presenter of the continuous news channel has been presenting a section devoted to their migration and nesting since mid-February.
This Thursday, March 23, the system set up by the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) in barns, stables or houses in France showed that the first birds had just arrived from Africa.
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Marc Hay echoed it this Friday morning.
“
They don't know we're there.
It is an infrared device.
The males arrive first, five days ahead on average.
They make the nest, with mud, twigs, saliva.
These 20-gram birds have flown 7,000 kilometres
,” explains the presenter.
A map shows that the
swallows
have taken up residence
“towards the Pays de la Loire, in Franche-Comté, in the Poitou-Charentes region or even in the Toulouse region
”.
A map developed in particular from information from viewers, who have an online form on the lpo.fr site.
The objective of the operation is
"to raise awareness of the threats to these species"
, reads a press release from the chain and the LPO.
Their numbers have fallen by almost 25% over the past 30 years due to the decline in their food sources
"
caused by the use of insecticides in intensive agriculture and building renovations which limit the possibilities of build their nest there
.
“
This worrying development illustrates the consequences of climate change on biodiversity.
Following these swallows
for several weeks
on
BFMTV
allows us to make our viewers aware of the threats to our biodiversity ,
”
says Christophe Person, head of the weather and climate service at BFMTV.
