Pavkov: Alpine swift chicks are in safe hands
Serbia's environment ministry ordered the urgent rescue of Alpine swift chicks at the Albania Palace, while the banner blocking their parents is to be moved.
- Serbia's environment ministry ordered an urgent operation on May 30, 2026 to rescue and feed Alpine swift chicks at the Albania Palace.
- The operation was carried out by an expert team from the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, alongside representatives of the Stari Grad municipality.
- Minister Sara Pavkov ordered that the banner, which had stopped the parents from feeding the chicks, be relocated as soon as possible.
Serbia’s Ministry of Environmental Protection ordered an urgent operation on May 30, 2026 to rescue and feed Alpine swift chicks on the Albania Palace building in Belgrade, after their parents were prevented from feeding them by a banner mounted on the facade. The work on the ground was carried out by an expert team from the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, together with representatives of the Stari Grad municipality, and Minister Sara Pavkov confirmed that the birds had been saved and handed to specialists.
The Alpine swift is a strictly protected species, which means that any threat to its nests and young triggers an obligation for the authorities to respond. The problem arose when the banner on the facade blocked access to the nest, leaving the adult birds unable to bring food to the chicks. The ministry acted the same day.
What is known about the case
Experts from the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia went to the site and took the chicks in to secure food and supervision for them. Minister Pavkov said the birds had been well cared for.
“The Alpine swift chicks are doing well and are in the safe hands of experts,” Pavkov said.
Footage of the chicks being fed was published on the ministry’s official Instagram account, giving the public an insight into how the operation unfolded. Pavkov also ordered that the banner be moved to another location as soon as possible, so the nest on the Albania Palace could be freed and the parents could regain normal access to their young.
Why is the species under special protection?
Strictly protected status obliges state bodies to prevent any action that endangers the survival of the birds and their nests. In this case, placing the banner on the facade turned into an obstacle that directly interfered with feeding, so the intervention of an expert team was needed to keep the chicks alive.
The operation at the Albania Palace shows how nature protection rules apply even in the densely built city centre, where the interests of urban life and protected species meet on the same facade. How often, in your view, should we be reviewing the placement of advertising on buildings in central Belgrade?
