Endangered black swifts nesting along popular Banff trail at highest levels in 17 years
The endangered black swift has returned to Johnston Canyon in numbers not seen since 2004.
A total of five nests were documented at the popular landmark this year, one of just two places in Banff National Park where the very particular bird is known to lay its single egg.
"There may still be other sites out there, so far in the last two seasons of putting in an enormous amount of effort to reach some of these very remote sites, we haven't uncovered any others," said Jennifer Reimer, a Parks Canada biologist and the black swift project lead for Banff.
"In Johnston canyon in particular, we had up to 12 nests until about the early 80s and then that dropped off quite steeply after that, and that was simultaneous with a lot of other aerial insectivores that were declining as well."
The endangered birds only nest in canyons near waterfalls. They choose nest sites with shady, sheltered pockets and plenty of moss. They are in the mountain parks between roughly late May and early October, although this year's nesting birds left around Sept. 18.
Because the relatively small adult birds can spend days at a time high in the air catching insects, surprisingly little is known about them. But researchers say populations have fallen roughly in half since the early 1970s.
They attribute the decline to a drop in insect populations, which may be tied to airborne pollutants and pesticide use.
The young birds face a daunting first flight -- within a week of growing flight feathers they leave for Brazil where they spend the winter.
Johnston Canyon has strict regulations in place to keep people on the established trail system throughout the nesting season. Maximum fines reach $25,000. In 2019 dozens of tickets were given out to violators.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.