Bird · GBIF taxon 9515886
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaAlso known as European Swallow, Common Swallow
Barn swallows are master aerialists that spend almost their entire day on the wing, swooping low over fields and water to capture flying insects. Breeding pairs construct cup-shaped nests out of mud pellets and grass beneath the eaves of barns, bridges, and open outbuildings. Their deeply forked tail streamers and long migrations across continents have made them iconic heralds of spring worldwide.
MigratoryInsectivoreAerial Acrobat
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flies
- Beetles
- Moths
Predators
- Falcons
- Hawks
- Domestic Cats
ThreatsPesticide use reducing prey, loss of traditional nesting structures
HabitatsFarmland, open fields, pastures, wetlands, and suburban areas
Life span4 to 8 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyHirundinidae
- SpeciesHirundo rustica
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Watch over ponds or open fields at dusk for low-altitude aerial hunting.
- Nesting Support: Maintain access to open barns and provide nearby muddy ground in spring.
- Nest Respect: Keep a respectful distance from active nests under eaves to avoid stress.
Competitor Don DeBold / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
Co-habitant "Tree Swallow" by born1945 is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Predator Mykola Swarnyk / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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