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Barn Swallow
(Hirundo rustica)
Banded May 27, 1998 - Danville, Indiana
General Information
The popular and attractive Barn Swallow, found worldwide, is the most widespread of the
swallows. In the western hemisphere, it winters in South America, but migrates northward
to breed over most of North America. A round trip may cover 14,000 miles. They prefer open
country, and readily nest on man-made structures. They perform an important economic
function as they cruise low over lawns, fields, lakes, and ponds, consuming large numbers
of flies, aphids, beetles, bees, moths, mayflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, caterpillars
and other insects.
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The Barn Swallow has a glossy steel blue
upper side, white underside, and chestnut forehead, chin and throat. |
Figure 1 - Female Barn Swallow
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Figure 2 - Barn Swallow Nesting Habitat
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Barn Swallows nest in colonies. Typical
nesting habitats are open barns, bridges, culverts, and other artificial structures. Note
the mist net across the openings used to catch the swallows. |
The nest, constructed of mud pellets and
plant fibers, is built by both parents. It is usually attached to a vertical surface as
shown here. From 4 to 5 eggs are incubated by the female hatch in 14 to 16 days. Both
parents feed the young who leave the nest in 17 to 24 days. Two broods may be raised in a
breeding season.
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Figure 3 - Barn Swallow Nest
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Figure 4 - Adult Female Barn Swallow
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The forehead, chin and throat are an
attractive chestnut color. The chestnut throat is separated from the white or buffy white
chest and belly by a blue breast band. |
The upper side is a metallic steel blue. |
Figure 5 - Barn Swallow Upper Back
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Figure 6 - Barn Swallow Under Tail
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The tail is deeply forked. A central white
patch on the blackish tail feathers creates a white band across the tail. |
The deeply forked tail is emphasized by the
tail streamers on each side. Males generally have longer streamers than females. |
Figure 7 - Barn Swallow Upper Tail
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Figure 8 - Under Wing Coverts
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The under side and under wing coverts are
buffy white. |
During the breeding season, females lose the
feathers on their breast and belly and develop a brood patch that enables them to incubate
their eggs. After the eggs hatch, the brood patch begins to disappear, wrinkles form, and
eventually new feathers grow in.
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Figure 9 - Female Brood Patch
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Banding Recoveries
The Bird Banding Lab web site reports that between 1955 to 1997, a total of 174,277 Barn Swallows were banded. Of these, 1,157
have been recovered, a recovery rate of 0.66%. Banding studies show that Barn Swallows are
long distance migrants, and may live from to 6 to 8 years in the wild. Some may travel
from Argentina to Alaska and back in one season. If you should recover a banded bird,
report the band number to the Bird Banding Lab by calling 1-800-327-BAND.
Conservation
Historically, Barn Swallow populations have suffered from competition with House
Sparrows. The use of pesticides and the resulting reduction of insects has also
contributed to their decline. Unusually cold weather during the nesting season also
reduces the availability of insects and may lead to starvation of young and adults.
Fortunately, Barn Swallows readily adapt to man's artificial structures. Their populations
are doing well in many regions, but in some regions declines are still occurring.
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All images are courtesy of CWBO. All image copyrights are owned by CWBO.
Any use of these images must have permission of CWBO. |
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