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[av_heading heading=’Barn swallows hang out in Banga town’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY BOY RYAN ZABAL
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Saturday, April 1, 2017
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KALIBO, Aklan – Some found them an “attraction,” while others thought of them as “nuisance.”
However they were seen, salimbabatang — barn swallows — got the attention of many locals in the municipality of Banga.
Curious residents near Crossing Banga Rotonda in Barangay Poblacion were drawn to the salimbabatang perched on electric wires and posts.
An official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) warned the locals against harming or killing the birds.
Doing so is prohibited under Republic Act 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, said Ma. Corazon Teodosio, a senior ecosystem management specialist for the DENR-Aklan.
Swallows are long-distance migratory birds, often travelling for thousands of miles to spend summer in Southeast Asian countries.
Barn swallows can be identified by their long outer-tail feathers and a black band across their chest. The birds settle down for a night to build up strength before exploring potential nesting spots for seasonal migrations.
That barn swallows swarmed Banga indicates a healthy biodiversity. This means the municipality may serve as a bird-watching site for tourists and bird enthusiasts, according to the DENR-Aklan.
But the Environment department warned that salimbabatang droppings (guano) put humans at risks of contracting airborne diseases.
On a positive note, “barn swallows help farmers by targeting agricultural and community insect pests,” thus helping prevent losses in vegetable and fruit yields, Teodosio said.
Barn swallows consume ants, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, and wasps. (With Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
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