Swallow
The Barn Swallow is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. In Europe it is just called the Swallow and in Northern Europe it is the only common species called a "swallow" rather than a "martin".
The male Swallow has steel blue upperparts and a rufous forehead, chin and throat which are separated from the off-white underparts by a broad dark blue breast band. The outer tail feathers are elongated to give the distinctive deeply forked "swallow tail." There is a line of white spots across the outer end of the upper tail. The female is similar in appearance to the male but the tail streamers are shorter, the blue of the upperparts and breast band is less glossy and the underparts more pale. The juvenile is browner and has a paler rufous face and whiter underparts. It also lacks the long tail streamers of the adult.
The Swallow has an enormous range with an estimated global extent of 20 million square miles and a population of 190 million individuals. It breeds in the Northern Hemisphere from sea level to typically 8,900 feet but up 9,800 feet in the Caucasus and North America and it is absent only from deserts and the cold northernmost parts of the continents. Over much of its range it avoids towns and in Europe is replaced in urban areas by the House Martin.
There are 6 subspecies of the Swallow which breed across the Northern Hemisphere, of which 4 are strongly migratory with their wintering grounds covering much of the Southern Hemisphere as far south as central Argentina, the Cape Province of South Africa and northern Australia.
The Swallow can be found in open country with low vegetation such as pasture, meadows and farmland, preferably with nearby water. It avoids heavily wooded or precipitous areas and densely built-up locations. The presence of accessible open structures such as barns, stables or culverts to provide nesting sites and exposed locations such as wires, roof ridges or bare branches for perching are also important in the bird's selection of its breeding range.
This species lives in close association with humans and its insect-eating habits mean that it is tolerated by man. This acceptance was reinforced in the past by superstitions regarding the bird and its nest. There are frequent cultural references to the Swallow in literary and religious works due to both its living in close proximity to humans and its annual migration. The Swallow is the national bird of Austria and Estonia.
In winter, the Swallow is cosmopolitan in its choice of habitat, avoiding only dense forests and deserts. It is most common in open, low vegetation habitats such as savanna and ranch land. Individual birds tend to return to the same wintering locality each year and congregate from a large area to roost in reed beds. These roosts can be extremely large with one in Nigeria holding an estimated 1.5 million birds.
Date: 9th May 2022
Location: RWT Gilfach, Powys
The male Swallow has steel blue upperparts and a rufous forehead, chin and throat which are separated from the off-white underparts by a broad dark blue breast band. The outer tail feathers are elongated to give the distinctive deeply forked "swallow tail." There is a line of white spots across the outer end of the upper tail. The female is similar in appearance to the male but the tail streamers are shorter, the blue of the upperparts and breast band is less glossy and the underparts more pale. The juvenile is browner and has a paler rufous face and whiter underparts. It also lacks the long tail streamers of the adult.
The Swallow has an enormous range with an estimated global extent of 20 million square miles and a population of 190 million individuals. It breeds in the Northern Hemisphere from sea level to typically 8,900 feet but up 9,800 feet in the Caucasus and North America and it is absent only from deserts and the cold northernmost parts of the continents. Over much of its range it avoids towns and in Europe is replaced in urban areas by the House Martin.
There are 6 subspecies of the Swallow which breed across the Northern Hemisphere, of which 4 are strongly migratory with their wintering grounds covering much of the Southern Hemisphere as far south as central Argentina, the Cape Province of South Africa and northern Australia.
The Swallow can be found in open country with low vegetation such as pasture, meadows and farmland, preferably with nearby water. It avoids heavily wooded or precipitous areas and densely built-up locations. The presence of accessible open structures such as barns, stables or culverts to provide nesting sites and exposed locations such as wires, roof ridges or bare branches for perching are also important in the bird's selection of its breeding range.
This species lives in close association with humans and its insect-eating habits mean that it is tolerated by man. This acceptance was reinforced in the past by superstitions regarding the bird and its nest. There are frequent cultural references to the Swallow in literary and religious works due to both its living in close proximity to humans and its annual migration. The Swallow is the national bird of Austria and Estonia.
In winter, the Swallow is cosmopolitan in its choice of habitat, avoiding only dense forests and deserts. It is most common in open, low vegetation habitats such as savanna and ranch land. Individual birds tend to return to the same wintering locality each year and congregate from a large area to roost in reed beds. These roosts can be extremely large with one in Nigeria holding an estimated 1.5 million birds.
Date: 9th May 2022
Location: RWT Gilfach, Powys
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Also in: Hirundines
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