Berkshire County, MA, bridge colonies, 2019-2023

Artificial nests were installed under two bridges in Berkshire County, MA in 2020 at active Cliff Swallow colonies. At these sites, because there was no substrate to which attach nests, we first attached nests to wooden planks, created a roof overhang, and strapped the boards to the metal rebar of the bridge. At one bridge site the swallows readily use the nests and the colony has grown from 8 pairs in 2019 to over 20 in 2020-2023. The other bridge colony decreased in size then was abandoned by 2022.