A Barn Swallow may fly 600 miles a day capturing insects to eat. Hirundo rustica. ... Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica. Swallows are insectivorous and will often be seen on a warm summer day chasing flying insects round fields and meadows.

The weather used to be predicted by their flight. Cliff swallows and barn swallows are slender, small birds that spend their spring and summer in North America. Barn swallow migration peaks in central states, starting to breed in South. Explore bird status and trends with maps, habitat charts, weekly migration animations, and more–all generated from modeled eBird data. The Barn Swallow, like most swallows, breeds from coast to coast, well into Canada; like most of them, they completely leave the states for places as far south as Argentina.

; erythrogaster breeds in North America). Both the adults and young will migrate at the same time. Barn swallow Hirundo rustica With its long, forked tail and long wings, it is the most graceful of all land birds and reminds one of the smaller terns not only in shape but in behavior. This is an educational video and animated short of a swallow's migration through Europe and into Africa and make their way all the way through to South Africa. early March to late April: Chimney Swift : late March to late April : Ruby-throated Hummingbird: late March to mid May : Purple Martin: mid February to early March: Barn Swallow: early March to early April : Northern Parula: early March to mid April: Black-throated Green Warbler : late March to early May: Yellow-throated Warbler The species is found around the world, as are the Short-eared Owl, Golden Eagle, Dunlin, and a handful of other bird species. At least six Barn Swallow subspecies are recognized, with just one in … It seems to have adopted humans as neighbors, typically placing its nest in barns or garages, or under bridges or wharves; indeed, it is now rare to find a Barn Swallow nest in a site that is not manmade.
Migration Time; American Golden-Plover . Barn Swallow. The Barn Swallow makes its first appearance at New Orleans from the middle of February to the first of March. Southbound fall migration may begin by late June in Florida or early July in Massachusetts. 1983). Migrating swallows cover 200 miles a day, mainly during daylight, at speeds of 17-22 miles per hour. The maximum flight speed is 35 mph. The Barn Swallow has a nearly cosmopolitan breeding range.

The Barn Swallow seems to benefit from life around people, as long as its prey remains abundant. Swallows are territorial and return to the same nesting site year after year. Polytypic (6–8 ssp. The ubiquitous barn swallow, found on every continent except Antarctica, is a wondrous migrator. It nests in all 100 counties in North Carolina, but it essentially did not breed in the state until the 1950's. To undertake these incredible journeys, birds like the barn swallow need a huge amount of energy and a good strategy. By August, Barn Swallows will begin forming migratory roost and heading southward. During the warm summer months, migrating birds fill up on enough food to see them through their migration. One of our most familiar birds in rural areas and semi-open country, this swallow is often seen skimming low over fields with a flowing, graceful flight. Released: February 2020. eBird data from 2014-2018. Migration is a hazardous time and many birds die from starvation, exhaustion and in storms. They do not arrive in flocks, but apparently in pairs, or a few together, and immediately resort to the places where they have bred before, or where they have been reared.
Barn Swallow. We are lucky enough in Durban to have a yearly migration event happen on our doorstep. Cool Facts About Barn Swallows: Small Birds With Forked Tails. For swallows, long-distance migration is like a typical day. Peak migration in northern states and provinces, reach Alaska, breeding in much of range. Barn Swallows fly from North American breeding grounds to wintering areas in Central and South America.