James Warren
ECOLOGIST groups in Cordoba have gone after the local council of Cordoba for their decision to carry out urban pruning during the busiest songbird breeding season.
Vencejeros Cordoba, a group dedicated to protecting urban wildlife across the capital, has urged the council to delay the cutting and pruning of trees and shrubs until the breeding season ends.
The group has been working for years to try to reschedule urban pruning programs as every year, hundreds, and sometimes thousands of chicks are displaced, with many just being thrown on the ground by workers.
The main species affected are species of swallows, swifts, sparrows, finches and blackbirds.
Vencejeros Cordoba explain that the presence of songbirds in urban areas not only are pleasant for residents, also keep down pests such as flies and mosquitos.
Many species affected are also protected by law, including the various species of swallows found nesting at this time of year.
The group hopes that this year the council moves pruning season until autumn or winter, traditionally the best time to prune the flora found in towns and cities.
“The council works on the premise of pruning before the summer season to make sure the city is looking its best for the summer tourists, but this practice is extremely harmful for the areas bird life.” said a spokesman from Vencejeros Cordoba.
One specific incidence that occurred this past week was refurbishing works at the Provincial Hospital of Cordoba.
Protected pale swift and swift nests are created in cracks and crevices in walls, with many documented in the hospital grounds before refurbishing work filled them in, trapping the chicks and sometimes the adults inside.
The group issued a plea to the local council to reconsider their pruning and maintenance plan, but also has appealed to the public to report any incidents of inconsiderate trimming of nesting areas and more importantly, any chicks discarded as a result.
“So far we have successfully recovered over 150 chicks that are being taken care or in specialised refuges.” said Vencejeros Cordoba.
“We hope that if any citizen that finds baby birds that have fallen from the nest they know where to report them to and how to properly handle them.”
“We urge people to contact us via email on vencejeroscordoba@gmail.com or via our Facebook and Instagram page.”
Vencejeros Cordoba can also be contacted via mobile on Marina (622 43 93 75), Carlos (626 43 96 14) y Jose Carlos (610 74 31 79).
