Barn swallows have declined by over 50% in the UK since the 1970s, with losses driven by reduced insect availability, loss of nesting sites, and threats during long-distance migration. Understanding the full lifecycle welfare picture is essential for effective conservation.
Barn swallow decline reflects multiple interlocking welfare and conservation stresses across the full annual cycle. Breeding success depends on insect availability that has crashed due to agricultural intensification. Migration is increasingly hazardous as climate-disrupted timing mismatches food availability windows. Wintering habitat quality in Africa affects survival and condition through carry-over effects. No single intervention addresses all pressures - a landscape-scale approach to insect recovery, combined with site-level nesting habitat provision, is needed.