Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Summary 4
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".
Conservation status 5
Barn swallow populations are generally considered to be stable and sufficiently extensive. However, declines in the amount of acreage devoted to agriculture in recent years have resulted in reduced barn swallow numbers. This can be attributed to a reduction in habitat as the barns and outbuildings which once housed barn swallows, give way to more urban settings. Another contributing factor is the reduction in food supply. Insects attracted by the presence of livestock and the ideal surrounding habitat are the primary food source for barn swallows living in agricultural areas. Locations where farming has ceased exhibit a 50% reduction in insect populations.
Barn swallows continue to be widespread and common throughout their range. There are an estimated 190,000,000 individuals worldwide.
US Migratory Bird Act: protected
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
Habitat 6
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.
Range elevation: 3000 (high) m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; chaparral ; forest
Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban ; agricultural ; riparian ; caves
Sources and Credits
- (c) Dave Curtis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/davethebird/35656209480/
- (c) Frans Vandewalle, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/snarfel/3867467250/
- (c) Original uploader was Mdf at en.wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Hirundo-rustica-001.jpg
- Adapted by Amanda Carrillo-Perez from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirundo_rustica
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31398347
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31398337
