Species profile: barn swallows
One of my favorite birds to watch is the barn swallow. Its agility in the air as it swoops and dives, catching insects on the wing is truly magnificent. Other than offering wide-open spaces and old buildings, there really is not much you can do to attract barn swallows. Since they are not overly concerned by human presence, and nest readily in outbuildings and abandoned buildings, they have benefited greatly from human development which has expanded their range considerably.
Massachusetts birder Robert Tougias shares his childhood memories of watching swallows in an old, abandoned casino as they swooped in and out, caring for their young.
One of the most remarkable habits barn swallows have is their unique style of skimming the surface of a lake by dragging their lower beak through the water while speeding over the surface. I can never forget that. I remember that the female never left the nest for long and her forays averaged about seven minutes. She also seemed to turn her eggs each time she returned. I don’t remember much more than that, and at age 9 my observational skills were limited. TheDay.com
It is definitely worth a drive to watch barn swallows, especially when they are rearing young. The tiny nestlings stretch their necks out so far, it seems they will fall from their nest. Stay far enough away to not disturb the parents (they will dive at you if you get too close!), but take time to enjoy these precious moments.
If you would like to learn how to sketch these wonderful birds, Jill Novak is offering “Sketching Baby Barn Swallows,” the first in her “Sketch With Me™” series for free.
Image credit: Malene Thyssen, www.mtfoto.dk/malene/
birding, backyard birding, swallows, barn swallow
February 1st, 2008 at 10:46 am
Hi boys!8d561705fc943dec6264f45f5ddc52d3
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
A few years ago at our county fair someone wona HONNERBLE MENTION for the picture of a BARN SWALLOW flying in to feed its young in the nest I mean it takes good patiants a good camera and the right shutter speed in order to get a bird on the wing