April 20, 2001

     Barn Swallows

Although most barn swallows arrive in late April or early May, a few frequently come in mid-April. We see them perched on utility wires. Watch one leave its wire perch -- you will see it glide through the air with the ease and grace of an Olympic figure skater, its long, deeply forked tail enabling it to make the quick changes of direction so necessary for catching insects in flight and eluding enemies.

Like other swallows, the barn swallow migrates during the daytime, catching its food as it goes. They are abundant summer residents that nest throughout Minnesota, most numerous in farming areas, with fewer in heavily wooded spots.

The barn swallow is a candidate for the greatest traveler among land birds as it winters in South America as far south as Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The breeding range extends from northwestern Alaska to Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.

Barn swallows nest in barns or other buildings and in hollow trees, caves, and crevices in rocky cliffs. We seldom find more than six or eight nests in one place, although an observer reported seeing 27 in one barn. The nests, attached to vertical surfaces, are made from pellets of mud reinforced with straw and grass, and lined with feathers and fine grasses. The male and female work together in the construction.