Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Where is it found?
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They can be found feeding anywhere there is a plentiful supply of flying insects, such as over pastures, meadows and lakes. Swallows roost on cliff faces and agricultural buildings.
Diet and foraging
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Catches insects whilst in flight, picks prey from water surface, walls and plants
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Key adaptations
Their streamlined body and long pointed wings give them speed, endurance and manouevrability in flight, which helps them to catch flying insects.
Social organisation and mating system
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Communal roosting. Solitary feeding, although if large numbers of insects occur in one location, congregations of Swallows can be seen.
Breeding
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Pairs form for breeding, but often males are unable to find a mate so will help out another pair with nest building and defence. These cooperative "helpers" sometimes cheekily try to mate with the female leading to promiscuity within some Swallow pairs.
Did you know that...?
According to some legends, Barn Swallow's obtained their forked tail from an angry deity who threw a firebrand at the swallow, singeing away its middle tail feathers, because the swallow was stealing fire from the gods to bring to people.
Barn Swallows can live up to the age of eight.
Barn Swallows can live up to the age of eight.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Rauchschwalbe Hirundo rustica" by Andreas Trepte - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rauchschwalbe_Hirundo_rustica.jpg#/media/File:Rauchschwalbe_Hirundo_rustica.jpg
"Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) nest eggs, total clutch" by Kati Fleming - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barn_swallow_(Hirundo_rustica)_nest_eggs,_total_clutch.JPG#/media/File:Barn_swallow_(Hirundo_rustica)_nest_eggs,_total_clutch.JPG
"HirundoRustica nest" by I, B.navez. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HirundoRustica_nest.jpg#/media/File:HirundoRustica_nest.jpg
"Hirundo rustica". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hirundo_rustica.jpg#/media/File:Hirundo_rustica.jpg
"CríasHirundorustica" by Mario Modesto Mata - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cr%C3%ADasHirundorustica.JPG#/media/File:Cr%C3%ADasHirundorustica.JPG
"Rauchschwalbe Hirundo rustica" by Andreas Trepte - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rauchschwalbe_Hirundo_rustica.jpg#/media/File:Rauchschwalbe_Hirundo_rustica.jpg
"Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) nest eggs, total clutch" by Kati Fleming - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barn_swallow_(Hirundo_rustica)_nest_eggs,_total_clutch.JPG#/media/File:Barn_swallow_(Hirundo_rustica)_nest_eggs,_total_clutch.JPG
"HirundoRustica nest" by I, B.navez. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HirundoRustica_nest.jpg#/media/File:HirundoRustica_nest.jpg
"Hirundo rustica". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hirundo_rustica.jpg#/media/File:Hirundo_rustica.jpg
"CríasHirundorustica" by Mario Modesto Mata - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cr%C3%ADasHirundorustica.JPG#/media/File:Cr%C3%ADasHirundorustica.JPG