Did you know that male barn swallows without mates will attempt to break up pairs by killing the nestlings?
Barn Swallows
at
a Glance
Key Features:
Barn swallows are blue birds with rusty foreheads, rusty throats, and tawny underparts.
Least Concern - Population Decreasing
Habitat:
Fields, marshes, meadows, parks, and ponds
nesting habits:
Barn swallows build cup-shaped nests out of mud on crossbeams, eaves, rafters, or under bridges, culverts.
seasons barn swallows are active in our area:
Spring, summer
Diet:
Flying insects, grasshoppers, snails, spiders, berries, and seeds
hunting Behavior:
Barn swallows forage in flight.
Commonly Confused With:
Chimney swifts, cliff swallows, and tree swallows
Barn swallows are often confused with chimney swifts because both are a similar shape and size. Barn swallows have tawny underparts. Chimney swifts are brown and narrower.
Barn swallows are often confused with cliff swallows because both birds have similar coloration. Barn swallows have rusty foreheads. Cliff swallows have pale foreheads.