The swallow is a beneficial bird that is found almost worldwide. There are many varieties of swallows, and they have interesting nesting and feeding habits.
The silhouette of a swallow is unmistakeable with its sharply pointed, angled wings and forked tail. They are often seen darting swiftly across the sky, catching insects in midair. According to the book "Peterson First Guides: Birds", written by Roger Tory Peterson and published in 1986 by Houghton Mifflin Company, there are seventy-five types of swallows worldwide. Eight of the seventy-five species can be found in Canada and the United States. The same article says five additional species are considered strays.
"Peterson First Guides: Birds" describes the following species of swallow and their individual characteristics. First is the Purple martin, which is the largest species of swallow. This bird is approximately seven and one half to eight and one half inches in length. It has a forked tail and is a glossy shade of blue-black. Female martins can be identified by a lighter underside. These swallows migrate to South America for the winter and return to the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico early in the spring. From there, they continue their flight northward. Martins build most of their nests in tall compartment-style bird houses designed especially for this large breed of swallow.
Barn swallows are about six to seven and one half inches in length. This species of swallow can be identified by a deeply forked tail, chestnut colored throat, buff colored underside, and a shiny blue-black backside. These migrating birds can be seen across all but the southeastern portion of North America. The barn swallow builds nests of mud on beams in barns and other open structures. They also build nests on supports beneath bridges.
The cliff swallow is between five and six inches in length, has a chestnut colored throat, light underside, buff colored rump, and a white band above the beak. This swallow, like the others, flies to South America for the winter and returns in the spring to all but the southeastern portion of North America. Cliff swallows make their nests out of mud primarily beneath the edges of barn roofs.
Bank swallows are a smaller variety, measuring between four and one half to five and one half inches in length. This variety of swallow has a brown backside, a white underside, and a brown band across its breast. The Bank swallow, as its name implies, is found living in nest burrows at the sides of steep river banks and sand quarries. This particular species of swallow can be found across all of North America.
The Tree swallow is a slender bird that is typically between five and six inches in length. They can be identified by a white underside and a shiny, dark blue-green backside. This swallow is indigenous to the northern United States and Canada. During winter months, it lives along the southeastern coast. Tree swallows often build their nests in bird houses.
Swallows are beneficial birds that consume large quantities of insects. The book entitled "All the World's Animals: Songbirds", published in 1985 by Torstar Books, Inc., provides the following information on the feeding characteristics of the swallow. It says the swallow is mainly an insect-eating bird. Different species of swallows prefer different types of insects. For example, the Purple martin typically eats dragonflies, moths, and butterflies. Barn swallows consume large flies, and when the weather is bad they eat other insects off the ground. Besides insects, the Tree swallow eats a variety of seeds and berries. Bayberries are a favorite of the tree swallow.
Amazingly, swallows come back to the same nests year after year. "All the World's Animals: Songbirds" provides the following information regarding the behavior of these birds. It says young swallows usually build their nests within just a few miles of the nest their parents inhabit. Swallows repair old or weakened nests which last for many years. An average swallow lives about four years, and old nests in good condition are often taken over by new tenants.
Swallows usually stay with the same mate for life. In some species, the male swallow helps incubate and care for the hatchlings. This behavior mainly occurs when swallows are living in colonies, otherwise the female cares for the young. Both the male and the female feed the hatchlings. Older siblings of newly hatched swallows have been observed helping with feedings.
Swallows feed their nestlings by rolling insects into a compact ball and carrying them back to the nest in their throat. A typical barn swallow will bring about four hundred daily meals, consisting of about twenty insects per meal, back to its brood.
These birds are truly useful in controlling the insect population. Providing nesting boxes and adequate housing is a great way to attract swallows to your property.
