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AKA: Barn swallow
What Does The Swallow Look like ?
Swallows are small birds with dark glossy blue backs, red chestnut throat, pale under parts and long distinctive tail streamers. They are extremely agile in flight and spend most of their time on the wing. They are widespread breeding birds in the Northern Hemisphere, migrating south in winter. Habitalt lossn in both breeding and wintering grounds mean they are an Amber List species.
How Big Is It ?
Aprox 19 cm, weighing 20 g
Where does it live?
Breeding
Breeds in open habitats; nests in buildings. Common in mixed and traditional farmland - especially near cattle. Found in both upland and lowland habitats where there are plenty of insects.
Wintering
Most UK breeders winter in southern Africa.
When does it Breed ?
May to September , 4 - 6 eggs, Incubation 13 - 18 days , young fledging at 18 to 22 days, Usually 3 Broods per year > Nests made from pellets of mud , amd lose straggling vegeattion , hanging down walls and supports open at top
Where to see it
Swallows are found in areas where there is a ready and accessible supply of small insects. They are particularly fond of open pasture with access to water and quiet farm buildings. Large reedbeds in late summer and early autumn can be good places to look for pre-migration roosts.
What does it eat?
A range of small insects that it catches on the wing and over water
What does it sound like?
The call is a simple `tswit, tswit, tswit' or `weet-a-weet'; the song is a prolonged sweet twittering.
When to see itMarch to October.
Similar species
House martin, Sand martin, SwiftSwallow
