Barn Swallow

I grew up spending every spare minute that Dad had not filled with chores on the DeRoche Creek. One of my favorite spots was under the HWY128 bridge. The fishing was good; it was cool; and I loved to watch the Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) build their nests. Here are some pics I took under the I-30 bridge in the Oak Grove community. I never cease to be amazed at their architectual skills. Notice the incorporation of the dirt dobber nests into their own construction. Pretty smart.

There are six subspecies that have been reported, which makes sense when you consider that Barn Swallows are native in all the biogeographic regions except Australia and Antarctica. The breeding range of barn swallows includes North America, northern Europe, northcentral Asia, northern Africa, the Middle East, southern China, and Japan. They winter in South America, South Asia, Indonesia, and Micronesia. It has been reported that females look for wing symmetry and tail length when selecting a mate. Studies have suggested that the more symmetrical the wings and the longer the tail, the greater the longevity of the bird (~4-8 years). Like their cousins the Purple Martins, these guys are great at keeping the bugs under control (insects making up 99% of their diets).