Brussels Airport Company is working together with the De Kille Meutel bird club from Zaventem and the municipalities of Zaventem and Steenokkerzeel to lure away over a hundred swallow couples who reside on the airport grounds each year to surrounding business parks.
As is known, birds and aircraft do not go well together. It already happened that a swallow got sucked into an aircraft engine, with all its consequences.
On to safer places!
Brussels Airport Company therefore lends its collaboration to the initiative of the De Kille Meutel bird club to lure the swallows to new nests, away from their trusted breeding grounds at the airport.
Swallows prefer to build their nests under an overhanging roof. To build their nests, they need mud, which is abundantly available on the airport grounds because of the many construction sites. Furthermore, the vast expanse of grass is crawling with insects, which is the favourite meal of the swallows. Our feathered friends therefore have a great time at the airport.
Luring the swallows away promises to be a lot of work. Let’s hope it works!
60 artificial nests
When the swallows come back from Africa in April, they fly directly back to their old hangout. Therefore, the employees of the Bird & Wildlife Control department of Brussels Airport will remove their nests. To prevent the swallows from building new nests at the same spot, spikes will be placed under the eaves. To help the swallows well on their way, Brussels Airport Company has bought sixty artificial nests.
The volunteers from De Kille Meutel have found several companies and individuals where they can install the artificial nests. The aim is for the swallows to go and nest in the artificial nests, or for them to build a new nest in the surrounding neighbourhood. The strategy is to move the nests about 400 meters after each migration. The final destination for Zaventem: the Woluweveld. For Steenokkerzeel, the swallows will be lured in the direction of Melsbroek.