Migratory birds head to Switzerland for summer

The white stork is one of the first long-distance migrants to make its way back north. Keystone

As thousands of birds return from Africa and southern Europe to Switzerland for the summer, nature association BirdLife has called on birdwatchers to observe the animals and to report first sightings.

Traditionally, the white stork is the first long-distance migrant to arrive back in Switzerland each spring, reported BirdLifeExternal link on Monday. The first birds have already arrived at their nests. The barn swallows are expected to follow in mid-March, the cuckoos and swifts in April and finally, the rare European bee-eater in mid-May.

As part of their initiative “Spring Alive”, BirdLife invited citizens to experience the “fascinating phenomenon of bird migration” by participating in their Europe-wide observation campaign. Participants can use an interactive map and are encouraged to report their observation in Switzerland on the association’s website.

With this international campaign, the group hopes to draw attention to the plight of migratory birds and the destruction of their habitats and breeding grounds around the world. Migratory species’ population have declined by over 40% in the last three decades, BirdLife stated on its website.