Hirundinidae and Apodidae Conservation as a Biological Control of Mosquitoes (DBF JUNIOR)

Martí Fernández Gratacós is 12 years old, lives in Girona, and has been deeply interested in ornithology from a very young age. He enjoys observing birds, learning to identify them, and reading field guides to get to know them better. Additionally, he uses scientific illustration to explore their details and represent them accurately in his notebook.

During his talk, Martí will share a project on insectivorous birds that he has been working on at school. After noticing the significant decline of Hirundinidae and Apodidae families in Spain in recent years, as well as the concerning spread of the tiger mosquito, Martí clearly saw how these two could be linked to restore balance in nature. Indeed, the effective biological control of this vector could help ensure the future preservation of these bird species.

This project aims to explore solutions to increase the population of hirundinids and apodids, propose specific actions, and classify them according to how difficult they are to implement. Finally, the study also seeks strategies to raise awareness that boosting these bird populations could serve as an ecological solution to the growing problem of the tiger mosquito.