Glorious mud can help house martins survive the dry spring

MAKING mud pies might seem like child’s play – but it’s a serious business for bird survival, the RSPB has said.

Abundant mud can help house martins survive a dry spring, the charity said, calling on bird-lovers to leave man-made puddles out to aid the returning migratory birds with nestbuilding.

House martins use mud to build their nests each spring but their building material is in short supply because of a drier than usual April, a spokesman for the charity said.

“As our days get warmer and the ground hardens, less mud is available for house martins to use to build their own mud cup nests.

‘As our days get warmer, less mud is available for house martins to use to build their own mud cup nests’

“A simple way to help is leaving out a dish of soil and water mixed together – your very own muddy puddle – for these birds to make use of while we enjoy the sunshine,” the charity said.

Population levels of house martins fell by 47 per cent between 1970 and 2014, in part because of barn conversions robbing them of suitable nesting sites, and their populations are now thought to have more than halved.

They have higher mortality rates in hot and dry weather, because of dehydration and heat stress, and a lack of mud means they can’t build their nests and breed, reducing numbers further.

In December they were added to the red list of endangered birds alongside swifts, and improving their breeding success in the UK is seen as key to restoring their numbers.

Gardeners have also been urged to put up nest-boxes and avoid pesticides to make sure birds have abundant food.