# Barn Swallow (*Hirundo rustica*) The Barn Swallow is a small bird with a beautiful blue back and a long tail. They love to fly and catch bugs on the wing, making them fun to watch! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 123 - **Habitat:** Open fields and near water - **Also known as:** Common Swallow, European Swallow, Rustic Swallow, Swallow ![Barn Swallow](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425887/objects/4542.jpg) ## Appearance The Barn Swallow has a glossy, iridescent blue-black back, a rusty-red face and throat, and a creamy white belly. Its most striking feature is a deeply forked, long tail with streamer-like outer feathers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Hirundinidae - **Genus:** Hirundo ## Interesting facts - A Barn Swallow's long tail streamers are a sign of how healthy and attractive it is to mates. - Barn Swallows often drink water by scooping it up with their lower jaw while flying low! - Barn Swallows sometimes fly very low before a storm, catching insects pushed down by air pressure! - Sometimes, young Barn Swallows will stay to help their parents feed the next brood of chicks! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Acrobatics:** Barn Swallows can perform amazing aerial acrobatics because of their slender bodies, helping them catch flying insects with ease. - **Mud Architects:** Barn Swallows have strong saliva and mud-gathering skills that helps them construct durable, cup-shaped nests. - **Magnetic Compass:** Barn Swallows have an internal magnetic compass that helps them navigate during their vast seasonal migrations. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 17-19 cm - **Wingspan:** 32-34.5 cm - **Weight:** 0.016-0.022 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-8 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-7 - **Incubation:** 13-17 days - **Migration Distance:** 10000 km ## Diet & Feeding These speedy birds are insectivores, expertly catching flying insects like flies and beetles mid-air! - **Primary Foods:** Flies, Mosquitoes, Beetles, Moths, Dragonflies - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** House Fly (*Musca domestica*) — A primary food source caught mid-flight. - **Eaten by:** Common Kestrel (*Falco tinnunculus*) — Hunts swallows and other small birds. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Preys on nesting or fledging birds. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Barn Swallows are friendly birds, but it's best to observe them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Barn Swallow? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Barn Swallow? 17-19 cm ### What is Barn Swallow's wingspan? 32-34.5 cm ### How much does Barn Swallow weigh? 0.016-0.022 kg ### How long does Barn Swallow live? 2-8 years ### How fast can Barn Swallow move? 60 km/h ### What does Barn Swallow eat? These speedy birds are insectivores, expertly catching flying insects like flies and beetles mid-air! ### Where is Barn Swallow usually found? Open fields and near water ## Where to spot - [Bean Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bean-hill-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bolsa-chica-ecological-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Brooklyn Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooklyn-botanic-garden) — New York, US · Botanical Garden - [Camp Misty Mount Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/camp-misty-mount-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District - [Charlestown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charlestown-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District [View all places to see Barn Swallow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/barn-swallow) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Barn Swallow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barn-swallow)