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Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Summary 6

The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts, a long, deeply forked tail and curved, pointed wings. It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. In Anglophone Europe it is just called the swallow; in Northern Europe it is the only common species called a "swallow" rather than a "martin".

General description 7

Barn swallows are small birds. They range in size from 14.6 to 19.9 cm long, with a wingspan of 31.8 to 34.3 cm. They weigh between 17 and 20 g. Barn swallows are metallic blue-black above and pale beige below. They have light brown on their throat and forehead, and have a long, deeply-forked tail. Males and females are similar in appearance, though females tend to be less vibrantly colored and have shorter outer tail-streamers. Asymmetry of physical characteristics in barn swallows tends to be transmitted to the young in distinct parent to offspring patterns. Tail asymmetry tends to pass from father to son and from mother to daughter. Alternatively, wing asymmetry does not appear to transfer at all on a reliable basis from parent to offspring. Six subspecies of Hirundo rustica are recognized.

Description 8

Longueur 17-19 cm, envergure 32-34,5 cm, poids 16-22 g.

Elle dépend pour sa survie d’un accès permanent à de petits insectes volants, qu’elle chasse dans les couches basses de l’air. Elle évite normalement les forêts denses et les zones très urbanisées, préférant les villages et surtout les fermes. Elle s’installe dans les étables, les écuries, les porcheries… où elle trouve chaleur et sites de nid, avec de l’eau à proximité.

L’Hirondelle de cheminée est insectivore et se nourrit essentiellement de diptères pendant la saison de reproduction. Ses proies tendent à être plus grosses que celles de l’Hirondelle de fenêtre, qui capture beaucoup de pucerons. Sauf dans les cas particuliers d’abondance de proies non volantes ou de conditions météorologiques exécrables, la chasse au vol est systématique.

L’espèce est très grégaire en dehors de la saison de reproduction, se regroupant en dortoirs comprenant parfois des milliers d’oiseaux, mais niche souvent isolément. Elle est monogame (rares cas de polygynie). La fidélité à vie est assez fréquente. Les deux partenaires défendent le territoire autour du nid. C’est le mâle qui choisit l’emplacement et il arrive qu’il construise le nid avant le retour de la femelle. Les mâles qui ont les plus longs filets sur la queue sont les plus attirants ; ils s’apparient les premiers et se reproduisent avec le plus de succès.

Le nid est construit sur une saillie ou une poutre. C’est une coupe ou une demi-coupe d’une dizaine de centimètres de profondeur, faite de boue le plus souvent mélangée à des éléments végétaux, puis recouverte de plumes. La ponte de 4 ou 5 œufs (extrêmes : 2 à 7) est déposée à partir de mi-avril. L’incubation dure 11 à 19 jours et les jeunes s’envolent à l’âge de 20 jours environ. Il y a souvent 2 couvées annuelles.

Distribution 9

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) BREEDING: south-coastal and southeastern Alaska, across much of Canada south through much of U.S. to central Mexico; also eastern Buenos Aires province, Argentina, in early 1980s (Ridgely and Tudor 1989); across Eurasia to Mediterranean region, northern Africa, China, Japan. NON-BREEDING: mainly South America, regularly from Costa Rica and West Indies to Tierra del Fuego (but in low numbers south of central Chile and northern Argentina, Ridgely and Tudor 1989); Africa and southern Asia; uncommon in Puerto Rico. Accidental in Hawaii.

Morphology 10

Barn swallows are small birds. They range in size from 14.6 to 19.9 cm long, with a wingspan of 31.8 to 34.3 cm. They weigh between 17 and 20 g. Barn swallows are metallic blue-black above and pale beige below. They have light brown on their throat and forehead, and have a long, deeply-forked tail. Males and females are similar in appearance, though females tend to be less vibrantly colored and have shorter outer tail-streamers.

Asymmetry of physical characteristics in barn swallows tends to be transmitted to the young in distinct parent to offspring patterns. Tail asymmetry tends to pass from father to son and from mother to daughter. Alternatively, wing asymmetry does not appear to transfer at all on a reliable basis from parent to offspring.

Six subspecies of Hirundo rustica are recognized.

Range mass: 17 to 20 g.

Range length: 14.6 to 19.9 cm.

Range wingspan: 31.8 to 34.3 cm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry ; polymorphic

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; male more colorful

Average basal metabolic rate: 0.3158 W.

Diagnostic description 11

Barn swallows are small birds. They range in size from 14.6 to 19.9 cm long, with a wingspan of 31.8 to 34.3 cm. They weigh between 17 and 20 g. Barn swallows are metallic blue-black above and pale beige below. They have light brown on their throat and forehead, and have a long, deeply-forked tail. Males and females are similar in appearance, though females tend to be less vibrantly colored and have shorter outer tail-streamers. Asymmetry of physical characteristics in barn swallows tends to be transmitted to the young in distinct parent to offspring patterns. Tail asymmetry tends to pass from father to son and from mother to daughter. Alternatively, wing asymmetry does not appear to transfer at all on a reliable basis from parent to offspring. Six subspecies of Hirundo rustica are recognized.

Habitat 12

Barn swallows are very adaptable birds and can nest anywhere with open areas for foraging, a water source, and a sheltered ledge. They seek out open habitats of all types, including agricultural areas, and are commonly found in barns or other outbuildings. They will also build nests under bridges, the eaves of old houses, and boat docks, as well as in rock caves and even on slow-moving trains. While migrating, they tend to fly over open areas, often near water or along mountain ridges. Barn swallows generally nest below 3000 m elevation.

Migration 13

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Arrives in much of U.S. in April, Alaska in May (Terres 1980). Common migrant in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Migrates through Costa Rica mainly early to mid-August through October and early March-late May or early June (Stiles and Skutch 1989). In South America mainly August to May (though some may linger throughout year) (Hilty and Brown 1986, Ridgely and Tudor 1989). See Turner and Rose 1989 for information on Old World migrations.

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Jörg Hempel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Hirundo_rustica_LC0200.jpg/460px-Hirundo_rustica_LC0200.jpg
  2. (c) JJ Cadiz, Cajay, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/BarnSwallow_cajay.jpg
  3. (c) Jörg Hempel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2765/4236406239_282fe18894.jpg
  4. (c) Jörg Hempel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4237191996_8bf3cf3f63.jpg
  5. (c) Bernard DUPONT, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6077/6035845216_73f0b84937_o.jpg
  6. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirundo_rustica
  7. (c) Katerina Tvardikova, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31846032
  8. (c) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Service du Patrimoine naturel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/29862188
  9. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28814466
  10. (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31398338
  11. (c) Katerina Tvardikova, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31847839
  12. (c) Katerina Tvardikova, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31849267
  13. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28814472

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(c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC-BY-SA)

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