Barn
Swallows are very common summer resident. Very comfortable around
human activity, they now primarily nests in and around buildings and
bridges. They have probably greatly increased in numbers due to
man-induced land cover change. An adult is pictured on the right, while
a juvenile can be found in additional photos at the bottom of the page.
Habitat: Semi-open country. Nests under/on bridges,
barns, houses, culverts, and caves. Feeds over nearly any type of
semi-open terrain.
Diet: Mostly flying insects. Only very
rarely eats any vegetable matter, usually seeds or berries.
Behavior: Catches and consumes nearly all insects
in the air, often flying low over open fields or water bodies. They
will also feed on the ground or in vegetation, but only in rare instances of
very bad weather.
Nesting: Late May through Late June
Migration: Neotropical migrant. Generally
migrates very early in the fall. Barn Swallows are found throughout much
of North America and Eurasia in the summer, migrating southward to South
America, southern Asia, and Africa in the winter.
Status: Generally stable throughout its range.
2)
Cornell University's "All About Birds - Barn Swallow"
3)
eNature.com:
Barn Swallow
Photo Information: August 1st, 2004
-- Near Lake Thompson -- Terry Sohl
Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or
text links below for additional, higher-resolution Barn Swallow photos.
