Home » Misc » Hand feeding baby barn swallow

Hand feeding baby barn swallow


How to Raise a Baby Barn Swallow

By Naomi Bolton | Updated September 26, 2017

Things You'll Need

  • Tissue paper

  • Ice cream tub

  • Electric heating pad

  • Commercial insectivore diet

  • Minced meat

  • Veterinary vitamin and mineral supplement

  • Two children’s paint brushes

  • Blunt-end tweezers (optional)

  • Small bowl

Barn swallows, with their deeply forked tails, are interesting birds that feed only while they are flying. The young of this species are termed altricial, because they hatch naked and helpless. Barn swallow infants typically gape to request food and do not always need to be handled excessively, but this is nevertheless a challenging species to rear.

Ensure that the parents have abandoned the chick by observing it from a distance. In many cases, the parents will return and continue to feed the chick.

Place a number of layers of tissue paper onto the bottom of an ice cream tub and put the barn swallow into this artificial nest.

Place an electric heating pad onto the bottom of a cardboard box that is larger than the ice cream tub and place the ice cream tub onto the heating pad inside the box. Set the heating pad to between 90 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Place half of the ice cream tub onto the heating pad, so that the swallow can shift away from the heat source if it chooses to. Decrease this temperature by 5 degrees Fahrenheit each week after the chick develops feathers.

Prepare a mixture of 1 tablespoon of commercial insectivore diet and 1 tablespoon of minced meat. Add a pinch of a veterinary vitamin and mineral supplement to this mixture.

Dip a clean child’s paintbrush into the mixture and hold the brush in front of the swallow's beak. Place the mixture in the swallow’s mouth as soon as it gapes, which is the natural feeding response for this species.

Feed the swallow at least eight times per day. Feeding every two hours typically works well. Do not leave the fledgling for longer periods than two hours though. Feed the swallow until its stops gaping, which is an indication that it has eaten a sufficient amount.

Use a pair of blunt-end tweezers as an alternative to the child’s paint brush.

Dip a child’s paint brush into a small bowl of water and offer it to the fledgling between feedings.

Use a wet child’s paintbrush to wipe uneaten food from the beak and face of the swallow. By using the brush, you minimize handling, which is typically stressful to these tiny birds.

Use tweezers to remove the swallow’s fecal sac after each feed. Take care not to rupture the sac, as they are very delicate.

References

  • Twycross Zoo: Hand-rearing Swallow and Martins
  • Wild Bird Watching: The Barn Swallow Habits
  • BCB705 Biodiversity: Precocial and altricial chicks

Photo Credits

Writer Bio

Virtually growing up in a computer repair shop, Naomi Bolton has held a passion for as long as she can remember. After earning a diploma through a four year course in graphic design from Cibap College, Bolton launched her own photography business. Her work has been featured on Blinklist, Gameramble and many others.

How Do I Care for a Baby Swallow Bird That Fell From Its Nest?

By Lorelei Nettles | Updated November 01, 2017

Things You'll Need

  • Baby bird formula

  • Canned kitten food

  • Eyedropper

  • Shoebox

  • Small bowl

  • White unscented paper towels

  • Dead insects

  • Plastic weaved basket

Warnings

  • If a bird is capable of hopping, a shoebox will not work. Create a vinyl mesh cage or purchase a picnic net shield to contain them.

    Do not place baby birds into an aquarium as they can become dangerously hot or humid.

    Do not peer down at the baby bird like a predator or over handle it, as this is very stressful to a bird.

  • If a bird is injured, take it to a veterinarian immediately.

    Change bedding when it gets dirty or damp.

    Maintain a steady temperature for the bird and keep it in a quiet place.

    Once a bird is hopping up or sitting on your finger perches should be added to the enclosure.

Although it is always best to return a fallen baby bid to its nest, sometimes it's just not possible to do so. It is also best to leave the bird alone for an hour or two if it is in a safe area — possibly in a basket hung in a tree — because the mother may come to rescue it. Whether a bird can be saved at that point depends on how long it has been away from the nest and if it was physically injured before or after the fall. When possible a baby swallow should also be kept in outdoor temperatures, such as on a porch.

Place a small bowl into a shoebox. Line the bowl and box with shredded paper towels so it resembles a nest. Gently place the baby bird into the bowl. Cover the box with a large plastic weaved basket or box to protect the bird and keep it from wandering. Be sure the weave is tight enough to keep the bird from squeezing through.

Extract a small amount of the baby bird formula into an eyedropper. Place a drop on the swallow's beak. It may take a while for the bird to accept the formula, as it will be fearful and possibly very weak. It may take up to a day for the baby to actually take much in, but the bird will eat more as it gains strength. Feed the baby swallow every two hours during daylight hours. Someone should be with the bird all day.

Put a dab of room temperature canned kitten food on your fingertip and hold it out to the swallow once it is strong enough to accept food this way. Add small insects to the swallow's diet as well. Insects can be found near outdoor lighting fixtures at night and should be dead when served to the baby swallow.

References

  • Ted Pack: A Barn Swallow Success Story - 2006
  • Daily Puppy: How to Care for Baby Birds That Have Fallen Out of a Nest-By Carrie Perles
  • 2nd Chance: Raising Orphaned Wild Baby Birds I Found A Baby Bird - What Should I Do?-Ron Hines DVM PhD

Resources

  • St. Francis Wildlife: Rescuing Songbirds
  • Wild Bird Watching: Baby Birds - Should I Help?

Tips

  • If a bird is injured, take it to a veterinarian immediately.
  • Change bedding when it gets dirty or damp.
  • Maintain a steady temperature for the bird and keep it in a quiet place.
  • Once a bird is hopping up or sitting on your finger perches should be added to the enclosure.

Warnings

  • If a bird is capable of hopping, a shoebox will not work. Create a vinyl mesh cage or purchase a picnic net shield to contain them.
  • Do not place baby birds into an aquarium as they can become dangerously hot or humid.
  • Do not peer down at the baby bird like a predator or over handle it, as this is very stressful to a bird.

Photo Credits

You found a swift... What to do?

You found a swift ... What to do?

Aposhniya naviny, Naviny Belarus hell 7 April 2018

birdies and byadze swirgul

The fallen swift needs help. But only competent. How not to kill a bird while saving it?

Every summer thousands of small black birds appear in the cities. They rush swiftly over our heads, cut circles in flocks, and at the same time they squeal piercingly. Meet - this is a swift. The fastest bird, and it is also the most fragile and injury-prone. Hundreds of people in different cities pick up swifts every summer, but do not know what to do with them: they feed and nurse them incorrectly. Because of this, swifts die, while most of the fallen swifts can still be restored and returned to the sky.

Swift in flight. Photo by Nikolai Sparrow

  1. Why do swifts fall?

Swifts often get into trouble: due to high speeds, they cannot always cope with driving in an urban environment (especially in strong winds, during a thunderstorm), and every now and then they crash into wires, mirrored windows, building walls ... Swifts get injured , fall, and people pick them up on the ground. And in the middle of summer, the “detachment” of podbrasks is replenished with chicks that accidentally fell out of the nest: in July, under the roofs where the swifts nest, it is especially hot, and the kids climb into the fresh air. It happens that one of the parents died, or the parents are gone for too long due to bad weather - then the chick goes to look for food on its own ...

During the summer, within one city, people pick up up to several dozen swifts.

  1. No need to toss the swift.

A fallen swift is often advised to throw up - and, they say, then it will fly. This is actually bad advice! Think about it: what if the swift has a fracture or a head injury? what if it's a chick?

Never throw a swift up, and even more so - from balconies, from the windows of the upper floors.

It is better to just take it to an open space (stadium, field) and lift it up in the palm of your hand: a healthy swift will fly off and start spiraling into the sky, an injured one will simply fall into the grass, and a chick, which is still too early to fly, will turn its muzzle to to you, as if to say that "he is not yet ready. "

How to release a rescued swift. Photo from the archive of Mikhail Rukavishnikov

  1. The fallen swift can be restored and returned to the sky!

Do not leave the swift lying where you picked it up. Swifts do not have fledglings, and no one will take care of a dropped chick: swifts spend their whole lives in the sky, and never descend to the ground, even if their chick is there. Chicks do not learn to fly: from the nest they immediately go flying.

Swifts spend their whole lives in flight. Photo by Nikolai Vorobiy

Do not put a swift to sleep, even if you are a supporter of natural selection. In half of the cases, a swift with an injury can be restored.

  1. Swifts are often mistaken for swallows, hawk chicks.

This causes confusion with feeding. Meanwhile, it is very easy to distinguish a swift from another bird: 4 toes on the foot of a swift are directed forward, while in most birds only 3 fingers look forward, and 1 backwards. Swifts are also famous for their wings: in adult swifts they are in the form of a sharp sickle, long, and when folded, go 2-3 cm behind the tail. Black swifts have a bright white speck on their chin, while swallows have a white entire breast and tummy.

A swift has a white spot on its chin and a dark belly. Photo by Nikolay Sparrow

  1. Chick or adult?

Distinguishing a chick from an adult swift is not difficult: all young swifts of this year have light pink skin on their legs, while adults aged 1 year and older have black-gray legs (this is a tan after flying to Africa).

Swift chick. Photo by A. Sagittarius

Chicks have a white color along the rim of feathers, chicks can squeak, and they also have fluff on their body, “needles” of unopened feathers (in adolescents, all feathers have already opened). In adults, the plumage is uniformly black or brown.

A feature of an adult swift: when folded, the wings extend beyond the tail by 2-2. 5 cm. Photo BirdLife International

  1. Swifts do not sit on branches.

This is due to the structure of the legs (4 fingers point forward). Swifts can cling to a sheer surface like rock climbers, but you should not put them in a cage: they will still fall from the perches, besides, they will ruin their plumage on the bars of the cage, and will no longer be able to fly.

Place the found swift in a clean box, at least 30x30x20 cm in size, with a sheer cloth on the wall so that the swift can climb vertically.

Swifts are excellent climbers on vertical surfaces. Photo by Mikhail Rukavishnikov

Lay several layers of paper towels on the bottom to absorb the droppings.

Line the bottom of the box with paper towels. Photo by Mikhail Rukavishnikov

  1. Swifts can't peck.

Therefore, it is useless for them to put a bowl with food. Swift will not even understand that you have put food on him. In nature, swifts catch insects on the fly, with their mouths wide open, like a trap.

This is how swifts masterfully drink in nature, flying over a pond. Photo by Nikolai Sparrow

At home, at first you will have to open the beak of the swift and put food there. Over time, he will begin to snatch food from your hands.

  1. Swifts only eat insects.

Any mixture (meat, eggs, cottage cheese, carrots, shrimp, etc.) is harmful to the swift. They will disrupt his metabolism, plant a liver, kidneys, and in chicks on such mixtures a weak, defective feather will grow, which will fall out after switching to insect food in nature.

Maggot, bloodworms, earthworms, beetles, spiders, ants, wasps and bees are also destructive to the swift and can lead to its death.

Feeding insects, which in Belarus can be bought from insect breeders, are best suited for feeding the swift: brownie and banana cricket, Turkmen and marble cockroach, flour worm.

From nature you can get grasshoppers and locusts, ant eggs, drones.

General rule for crickets, cockroaches and grasshoppers: store in the freezer, remove all hard parts, rinse in water before feeding.

Swift lunch. Photo by A. Sagittarius

Mealworm is kept in wheat/oat bran and fed alive after removing the head (sharp teeth).

  1. Swifts eat a lot!

We have all heard the saying “eats like a bird”, and therefore we think that birds do not eat much. In fact, birds eat a lot, and especially swifts, which spend so many calories in flight. During the day, the swift must eat food with a volume of at least 1/3 of its weight, otherwise it will become exhausted and die. In nature, the swift eats up to 400 flies a day!

Swift chicks, depending on their age, should be fed every 1-3 hours, an adult swift should be fed 3 times a day. The main thing is that the swift eats the norm.

The exception is weakened emaciated swifts: you need to start with very small, but frequent portions (once every 1-2 hours, only soft, adding a piece of Mezim), otherwise the stomach may not cope and refuse.

The swift, which has lain on the ground for a long time and has become weak, has a pale pink mouth inside, closer to white (normally bright pink), a thin and sharp breast (normally round, well-fed sternum). Also, the weight of a weakened swift is 30 grams or less (for a teenage chick and an adult swift, the weight norm is 40-55 grams).

Weighing a swift. Photo by A. Sagittarius

As a resuscitation, a swift is injected subcutaneously into the fold on the shoulder with an insulin syringe 0.1 ml of Glucose 40% + 0.3 ml of saline.

  1. The chick must be fed and released, the adult swift must be treated.

If you have picked up a chick, then all you need is to feed him intensively until he is ready to fly (a week before departure, the chick will begin to actively train and flap its wings). In total, the chick grows 43 days.

Swift can be saved and returned to the sky. Photo by Nikolai Vorobiy

An adult fallen swift - usually with an injury (bruise, dislocation, fracture, TBI, etc. ). In this case, you need to see a specialist and prescribe treatment. In the case of a minor injury, recovery will take from 1 week to 2 months. Unfortunately, not all veterinarians have knowledge of the treatment of birds. Therefore, for further information, you should contact the swift help group: https://vk.com/strizh_by.

If you want to become a volunteer to save swifts, write to [email protected].

The leaflet was prepared by Nika Puzhuk

Swallows. Variety of species, lifestyle.

Swallow bird is a very interesting bird. According to ancient beliefs, it is believed that if this bird builds a nest under the roof of a person’s house, then there will be comfort and happiness in this house. There are also a lot of stories, fairy tales and even legends about this bird.

Features and habitat of the swallow

Almost all of these birds live in hot regions. Big variety of swallows in the central . Asia can also be attributed to the habitat. You can meet these birds in cold countries.

The fact where the bird lives influences whether the swallow is migratory or not . If the swallow lives in hot countries, then it is not migratory. If the bird lives in northern countries, then with the onset of frost it needs to fly to where it is warmer.

The bird belongs to the passerine family. Swallows spend almost their entire lives in flight. This bird is able to eat, drink, mate and even sleep in the air. There are many species of swallows and all of them have common similarities:

  • wide and small beak, especially at the base;
  • is characterized by a large mouth;
  • birds have very long and at the same time narrow wings;
  • Birds have a broad chest;
  • rather graceful body;
  • short legs on which the bird can move weakly on the ground;
  • dense plumage throughout the body;
  • is characterized by a metallic sheen on the back;
  • the coloration of chicks and adult birds is the same;
  • there are no discrepancies in external characteristics between males and females;
  • small birds, 9 to 24 cm long;
  • the weight of birds reaches from 12 to 65 grams;
  • wingspan 32-35 cm.

Swallow species

Sand martin . In all external characteristics, it is similar to all other swallows. The back is brown, with a gray stripe on the chest. The size of these birds is much smaller than other varieties of this species. Body length up to 130 mm, body weight 15 grams. This species lives in America, Europe and Asia, Brazil, India and Peru.

Shore swallows

The swallow stays along the coastline and cliffs of water bodies. Pairs of birds look for soft soil on the slopes of cliffs and dig tunnels in them for housing. If, while digging, they come across dense ground, they stop digging this hole and start a new one.

Their burrows can reach up to 1.5 meters in length. The mink burrows horizontally, and a nest is built accordingly at the bottom. The nest is covered with fluff and feathers of various birds, twigs and hair.

Birds lay eggs once a year, their number is up to 4 pieces. The eggs are incubated for about two weeks. The birds take care of the chicks for three and a half weeks, after which the chicks leave the parental home.

Birds nest in whole colonies. Sand martins also hunt in colonies, rushing over meadows and reservoirs in one direction, then in the other.

Sand Swallow

Sand Swallow. The city swallow has a slightly shorter tail, white uppertail and white belly. The paws of the bird are also covered with white feathers. Body length equals 145 mm, body weight up to 19grams.

The city swallow lives in Europe, Sakhalin, Japan and Asia. of this species settle in the crevices of rocks and mountains. However, more and more often these birds build their nests under the roofs of human dwellings and high-rise buildings.

City Swallow

Barn Swallow . The bird of this species has a slightly elongated body, a very long and forked tail, sharp wings and a very wide beak. The body length is up to 240 mm, and the weight is about 20 grams. Red plumage on throat and forehead. This bird is migratory.

Builds nests in Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Under natural conditions, birds nest in caves. In recent years, birds have begun to build nests in human dwellings. Swallows especially like village dwellings. Every year the birds return to their former nesting place.

The nest is built from mud, which is collected on the banks of rivers, so that the mud does not dry out during the flight, swallows moisten it with saliva. Twigs and feathers are also used to build a nest. The diet of swallows includes flies and mosquitoes. This species of swallows is not at all afraid of humans, and often flies next to them.

Barn Swallow

Nature and lifestyle of swallows

Since swallows are partly migratory birds, they make long flights twice a year. It often happens that due to bad weather conditions, entire flocks of birds die. Almost the entire life of swallow birds takes place in the air, they very rarely rest.

Their limbs are practically not adapted for movement on the ground, which is why they descend on them only to collect material for making a nest. Of course, they can move on the ground only very slowly and awkwardly. But in the air, these birds feel very free, they can fly very low above the ground and very high in the sky.

Among passerines, this is the fastest flying bird, second only to the swallow bird -. Swifts are often confused with swallows, in fact, the bird is very similar to a swallow. The speed of swallow is 120 km/h. She has a very beautiful voice, singing resembles a chirping, which ends with a trill.

Birds hunt for insects and beetles, which are also taken in flight. The diet of birds also includes grasshoppers and crickets. Almost 98% of the total food of swallows are insects. Birds also feed their chicks on the fly.

Reproduction and longevity

Birds are monogamous, create pairs strong and for a long time. Sometimes, of course, there are cases of polygamous relationships among swallows. Pairs are formed with the advent of spring. If the pair formed well and the brood last year was good, pairs can be kept for many years. Males attract the attention of females by spreading their tails and chirping loudly.

Swallow chicks

If males do not find a mate during the mating season, they join other pairs. Such males can build a nest, incubate eggs, and eventually converge with females, forming polygamous pairs.

The mating season for birds begins in early summer. During the season, the female can breed two broods. Both parents are involved in the construction of the home. Construction begins with the construction of a frame using mud, which is wrapped around with grass and feathers.

The female lays 4-7 eggs. The eggs are incubated by the male and female, and the incubation period is up to 16 days. The chicks hatch almost helpless and naked.

Both parents carefully care for the chicks, feed and clean the nest from droppings. Chicks eat more than 300 times a day. Swallow birds for children catch midges, before giving them to their chicks, adult birds roll food into a ball.

Swallow nest

The chicks stay in the nest for up to three weeks until they start to fly. If the chick falls into the hands of a person, he desperately tries to take off even if he cannot fly. Having learned to fly fully, young swallows leave their parental nest and join adult flocks.

Swallows reach sexual maturity already in the next year after birth. Young birds give smaller offspring than adults. Medium swallows life expectancy is up to 4 years. There are exceptions when birds live up to eight years.

Swallow is a very beautiful and friendly bird. They build their dwellings right in the houses of people, while they do not fear for their lives and the lives of their chicks. Many people do not even try to drive the birds out of their homes. What bird but swallow can be so friendly.

Appearance of the city swallow

The city swallow has narrow wingspan up to 33 cm, a long beak and a slightly flattened head. Her weight is 18 - 19g, body length 12 – 17 cm.

Uppertail, belly and underwing painted white. The top of the body is painted black and blue with some bluish tint. The legs of the bird are completely covered with down and feathers. Sexual dimorphism in this species of swallows is poorly developed, males and females practically do not differ in appearance. Juveniles differ from adults in brownish-white plumage on the underside and duller black-gray plumage on the top of the body.

Swallow habitat

The bird is found almost everywhere on the territory of Eurasia. On the European continent, it does not live only in the far north of Scandinavia. The border of the natural range in the Urals passes through Ivdel. On the Ob, the northern habitat limit slightly does not reach the level of the Arctic Circle. In the basins of the Lena, Yenisei and Kolyma, the bird is found almost to the very mouths of these rivers.

In the area of ​​the rivers Indigarka and Yana, the border runs north of the Arctic Circle. The habitat covers Anadyr, the southern Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. This swallow also lives on the Japanese islands and Taiwan. The southern border of the range runs through the foothills of the Himalayas, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Israel.

Also, the city swallow lives on almost all Mediterranean islands. Here it is not found only in Malta and Crete.

In Africa, the bird lives in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Cyrenaica. An isolated nesting site is available in Mysore (Central India). The bird winters in Africa from Natal Land and Transvaal to Abyssinia, Sudan and Rio de Oro. Wintering grounds are also located in Asia in Burma, Northwest India, Borneo and South China.

Habitat Black-tailed Swallow

Under natural conditions, the swallow nests in sedimentary crevices and light rocky caves. These nests are often located on the banks of mountain rivers. The city swallow does not always make its own nests. Sometimes the bird occupies nests of shorebirds. In cities, birds make their nests under the eaves and roofs of houses. When choosing a building, preference is given to stone or brickwork. With the advent and development of cities, this species of swallows gradually turned into a synotropic one. At the moment, city swallows are practically not found outside settlements.

Feeding of the city swallow

This bird feeds mainly on open spaces covered with grassy vegetation: agricultural lands, pastures, meadows.

The city swallow's diet is based on various flying insects, such as Diptera (gadflies, mosquitoes, midges, flies), beetles, proboscis (cicadas, etc.). Grasshoppers and butterflies are also eaten.

Poisonous insects such as bees are avoided by city swallows. The swallow obtains food exclusively in the air. During the mating season, feeding takes place at a height of 10 - 20 meters above the ground. In rainy weather, swallows do not go hunting, but rest in shelters or nests. The area where the swallow feeds is within a radius of about 450 m from the nest.

Breeding of barn swallows

Pairs are formed within the nesting colony or even on migration. City swallows, as a rule, form a pair and all their lives. However, it is not uncommon for members of one pair to copulate with members of another. Because of this, the swallow species is considered genetically polygamous.

The nest is a hemisphere consisting of clods of earth. This sphere is attached to the ceiling and wall with sticky saliva. The height of the nest is 70 - 120 mm, and its diameter is 110 - 130 mm. At the top of the nest there is a gap that serves as an entrance. The litter inside the nest consists of wool, grass and other materials.

The common swallow is a migratory bird that has long been adjacent to humans. Since ancient times, these little creatures have been making nests under the roofs of houses. In addition, in some regions, swallows settle in birdhouses that people create for them. In many cultures, these small birds are considered signs of wealth and prosperity, so beautiful creatures are often not afraid of people and settle next to them.

The common swallow is a migratory bird that has long been adjacent to humans

A vivid example of such a neighborhood is the purple forest martins in the eastern regions of North America, where even in ancient times the Indians hung empty pumpkins, where these birds settled. Now this tradition has been preserved, but local residents hang not only pumpkins, but also multi-apartment birdhouses. These birds are dependent on man, as they almost do not settle in the forest thickets, as it was before.

Currently described 79species of representatives of the swallow family. These creatures are found almost everywhere. Their habitat extends to Africa, Asia, North and South America, as well as Europe. The swallow is not always a migratory bird. For example, in warm regions, these creatures can live all year round. In the northern regions, only certain species of birds migrate in the spring. In a favorable period, swallows can find enough insects here to feed voracious chicks. It is thanks to the migratory lifestyle of these creatures that it is difficult to find a person who would not know how they look in flight and sitting on a branch. Even young children have no difficulty in identifying them.

Is the whole house covered in wool?

Many people are afraid to have pets because they always have a lot of wool. The latest invention is a special glovethat will easily collect your pet's hair, and he himself will not mind. Watch our video on how to use this glove and how it can help you:

The swallows are small in size. Weight, depending on the species, can vary from 12 to 64 g. The length of their graceful body can range from 9up to 24 cm.

Despite the fact that different types of swallows live all over the globe, these creatures have a lot of similarities, including:

  • metallic sheen of feathers on the back;
  • wide chest;
  • short beak, wide at the base;
  • big mouth;
  • lack of external differences between female and male birds;
  • body-tight plumage;
  • prehensile fingers with long claws;
  • no difference in plumage color between adults and chicks.

Swallows have very long wings relative to the body. Their span can be from 32 to 35 cm. The appearance of various representatives of the swallow family has certain differences. Despite the considerable length of the wings, they are quite narrow. The tail is shaped like a fork. Feathers on the back of birds are usually dark in color, while those on the abdomen are white or light beige. Depending on the species, the plumage of swallows may vary in color.

Despite the fact that people almost everywhere know what this bird looks like, many interesting facts about swallows have become known relatively recently.

Due to their unique body structure, they are highly maneuverable, so they are able to catch even the most nimble insects, including dragonflies, on the fly. There are no insects that swallows could not catch up with. The wide slit of the mouth allows this bird to feed on the fly.

Lifestyle of swallows

In regions with a warm climate, swallows stay all year round, as there are a lot of insects on which they can feed. Northern varieties are migratory. These birds are considered the harbingers of spring, and this characteristic has been noted in many cultures. They usually arrive in early spring, and then in early autumn, when the number of insects is significantly reduced, they start migrating. Migratory birds make very long journeys 2 times a year.

However, even those swallows that do not fly to climatically favorable zones for the winter period spend almost their entire lives in the air. These creatures usually rest sitting on a branch. They practically do not fall to the ground. This is due to the fact that it is extremely difficult for them to take off from the surface of the soil.

Due to the combination of short legs and long tail, birds walk very slowly, which makes them extremely vulnerable to predators.

The swallow can even fly directly above the ground or bodies of water, which helps it to catch insects. In addition, these birds are even known to drink on the fly. In the process of moving, they also feed their chicks. Usually swallows settle near water bodies, where, as a rule, there is the largest number of their favorite insects, including dragonflies, grasshoppers and crickets. In the absence of something more substantial, they catch mosquitoes and midges. Swallows can reach speeds up to 120 km/h. In the process of flying in places where the number of birds is very large, they make piercing sounds, which are believed to help them maneuver among relatives. During the breeding season, they also have a characteristic chirp.

Bird lifespan and reproduction

Habitat is critical when it comes to building nests. In this regard, different types of swallows have their own unique features.

For example, barn swallows usually build bowl-shaped nests from small pebbles held together with clay or mud moistened with saliva. Swallows often build nests under eaves in sheds and even in attics. If swallows settle near human dwellings, they try to arrange their nests so that cats do not reach the hatched chicks. The bowl can be up to 15 cm deep.

Sand martins breed in burrows dug into steep banks. Here the chicks are reliably protected from predators. Digging holes in hard limestone is quite difficult, but swallows do not use their beaks for this. The main tool is the claws.

Some species of swallows prefer to settle in abandoned woodpecker nests, natural hollows and rock crevices. In rare cases, they may occupy the nests of other birds.

Swallows form polygamous pairs and annually return to a certain nesting site. During the breeding season, males begin to spread their tails and chirp loudly. By such behavior they lure partners. The formed pair begins to equip the nest.

Regardless of the variant of their house, swallows strive to make it as comfortable as possible for their chicks. Often these birds line the inside of the nest with soft moss or grass. However, the best material for arranging the bowl is bird down. Swallows are very protective of their feathers, so they pick up strangers.

For example, in the vicinity of ducks, laying their nests with warm fluff torn from their chests, swallows pick up feathers that are blown away by the wind. Often these little birds arrange whole air battles to get the building material they need. After arranging the nest, the couple begins laying eggs.

Usually the mating period lasts a week. During this period, the female can lay 4 to 7 eggs. The shell color is usually white, but in some species it can be mottled or beige. Then the male and female take turns incubating them. The incubation period is approximately 16 days.

Chicks hatch completely naked and helpless. Further, both parents are involved in the process of feeding offspring, getting food for children, and cleaning the nest from their droppings.

Swallow chicks are extremely voracious. They take food at least 300 times a day. With enough food, the chicks are fully formed in just 3 weeks. After that, they begin to learn to feed on their own. The life span of birds is 3 to 6 years.

Appearance and behavior . A bird of slender build, well known for its ability to settle near human habitation. Possesses fast and maneuverable flight. On the ground it moves rather badly, clumsily. It most often sits on the ground during the nest-building period, to collect nesting material. Body length (including the length of the braids) 15–23 cm, wingspan 28–35 cm, weight 11–24 g.

Description . The entire upper side is black with a blue metallic sheen. The underside, including the underside of the wing, is white, sometimes with a cream or buffy tinge. There is a chestnut-red spot on the forehead and throat, outlined from below by a wide black band. In the central part of the inner webs of the tail feathers there are wedge-shaped and oval white spots, forming a transverse white “tick” on the folded tail, visible from below. In adult birds, the tops of the outer tail feathers (pigtails) are very long (5–9cm) and thin. The legs are short, not feathered. Females are slightly paler than males and have shorter plaits on average. Juvenile birds differ from adults in a dull general coloration (the blue tint of the upper body is weaker, the spots on the forehead and throat are brownish), short braids and yellow corners of the mouth. It differs from most species of our swallows by the presence of braids on the tail. It differs from the rufous-rumped swallow, which also has pigtails, in the monochromatic black coloration of the back, loin and uppertail. Young barn swallows with short tail feathers are distinguished from other species by the presence of a brown spot on the throat and a uniform black coloration of the upperparts.

Voice . Usually makes chirping sounds like " tweet tweet ", " tweet tweet " and the like. The song, which is a simple chirping trill, consists of the same set of sounds and ends with a dry " cerrr ". Both the female and the male sing, sometimes in a duet, the female has a shorter song.

Distribution, status . Widely distributed in Eurasia, North America and North Africa. To the north in Scandinavia and on the Kola Peninsula it occurs up to the coast of the Arctic Ocean, in other areas it usually does not breed north of the Arctic Circle. To the south in Eurasia, it is distributed to the coast of the Persian Gulf, northern India, Vietnam and about. Taiwan. It winters in the southern half of Africa, in India, South China, Indochina and Indonesia. In the Western Hemisphere, it winters from southern Mexico to northern Argentina and central Chile. A common migratory bird throughout European Russia, where it is represented by subspecies H. r. rustica . Birds of the Palestinian subspecies H. r. have been registered in the Crimea and Kalmykia. transitiva , characterized by an even, rich buffy color on the underside of the body.

Lifestyle . Appear in the area of ​​nesting sites in late April or early May. They nest mainly in rural-type settlements, where they build nests on the walls of wooden or stone buildings, always under some kind of canopy. Sometimes they make nests under bridges at a distance from human habitation, occasionally in trees with thick branches or under the nests of large birds. The nest, open at the top, built from lumps of dirt, blades of grass and straws, lined with feathers and wool, is about a third or a quarter of the ball. They do not form large colonies, but usually they settle in several pairs even in small settlements or on single buildings. Clutch contains 4-8 white eggs with brownish spots. The chicks are covered with grayish-brown down, darker than in other species of swallows. They can breed up to two times per season.

They feed by flying over open areas or over forest near settlements, often around grazing cattle. They feed on various insects, which are caught mainly in the air. Sometimes they can grab sitting insects from the walls of buildings or from the grass, very rarely they collect food from the ground. In the post-nesting period and on migration, they often form numerous roosting aggregations in reeds along the banks of water bodies. They fly to wintering grounds mainly in August and September, occasionally they can linger until the middle or even the end of October.

In the south of the region, flights are possible rufous-rumped, or daurian, swallows Cecropis daurica , nesting in the mountain systems of southern Europe and most of Asia. Nesting was noted in the Crimea. It is somewhat larger and more massive than the barn swallow (body length with pigtails is 16–22 cm, wingspan is 30–34 cm, weight is 17.5–24 g), it also has braids on the extreme tail feathers, however, its plumage color is different. The cap, back, wing coverts, the longest uppertail feathers and most of the undertail (tops of feathers) are black with an intense blue tint. Flight and tail feathers are also blackish, but with a weaker greenish-blue tint. Small feathers above the beak, bridle, eyebrow, as well as the sides of the neck and the back of the head are bright red in color. The loin area is bright red, most of the uppertail (with the exception of the longest feathers) is light buff. The entire underside of the body, including the throat, ear coverts, underwings and foretail, is of a uniform light buff color. The tufts of the outer tail feathers are shorter (3–5 cm) and wider than those of the Barn Swallow. There are no light spots on the tail feathers. Legs unfeathered, dark brown. The beak is black.

Young birds are distinguished by the almost complete absence of a metallic sheen on black parts of plumage. The red coloration on the head and lower back is much paler, up to light buff. Tops of wing coverts, secondary and tertiary flight feathers with buffy edges.

Barn or killer whale ( Hirundo rustica )

Barn swallow is the most numerous migratory bird in our latitudes. This small beautiful bird is rightfully considered a symbol of spring. Since ancient times, people have tried to have swallow nests under the roof of their house. According to legend, the swallow's nest brings peace, prosperity and wealth to the family. In addition, these birds are very useful for humans in that all day long they are only engaged in exterminating harmful insects. When these nimble birds scurry again in the spring near the nest, which was empty during the winter, it is a real holiday in the house. The swallows are back - spring has come! And this is real joy!

Barn Swallow: description

Interesting information. The swallow can be called one of the cutest migratory birds. The size of this messenger of spring is quite small, its body length is 15-20 cm, the span of long sharp wings is 30-35 cm.

The plumage of the bird is blue-black above, pale-beige below. On the forehead and front of the neck, the Barn Swallow has light spots with a brown tint. It is possible to distinguish a female from a male by the tail, in the "girl" it is slightly shorter than in the "boy". The color of the male is more saturated, the plumage of females is less contrasting.

Habitat

The habitat of the little bird is quite large. Breeding swallows are found in North Africa, North America, Europe and Asia. These cute creatures winter in South America, Africa and Asia.

It can be judged by the very name of the bird that the village swallow prefers to build its nest in the countryside. You can notice these swallow-like structures on the walls of residential and utility rooms both in villages and in small towns. Birds feel much more comfortable in quieter places. Most often, their nests are observed in village stables or sheds, while these birds do not live on large farms.

As mentioned earlier, since ancient times people believe that swallows bring happiness to the house, therefore, in order to introduce these birds to their farmstead, the owners arrange special wooden structures with nesting corners. This helps to keep the population of small and useful creatures for people.

Lifestyle

Barn Swallow is diurnal. This is a migratory bird that arrives from wintering in mid-May. Until the beginning of June, nimble feathered creatures are busy building nests, after arranging housing problems, the birds immediately lay eggs and incubate offspring. They fly to warmer climes in September.

Barn swallows live in large flocks, they like to perch in groups on wires and chirp loudly. Their song ends with a pleasant trill. They are much more likely than other types of swallows to land on the ground. Birds nest in large colonies, each pair of birds zealously defends and defends the territory near its nest.

What the swallow eats

The diet of this little creature consists mainly of flying insects. This menu includes mosquitoes, flies and butterflies. When it is cool or raining outside, the insects hide and the barn swallow changes flying insects for crawling spiders and caterpillars. Everyone knows that before the rain these birds fly very low above the water, but does everyone know that they do this because in bad weather the insects living near the surface of the water begin to actively move, thereby enabling the birds without much labor to get food.

When hungry chicks squeak in the nest, a pair of swallows must work from morning to night to feed the voracious young. Bird parents bring insects to their babies in their esophagus, during the day five chicks will need about four hundred servings.

Reproduction

Swallows build their nest from lumps of damp earth and clay, so that they are more firmly lined with straw and hay. It is shaped like an open cup. Inside, the birds line their homes with feathers and soft grass. At the end of May, the female lays up to five eggs, they are white in color with purple or red dots. The male helps the expectant mother to hatch the chicks, but he replaces her only when she needs to eat.

Barn swallow chicks hatch from eggs after 14 to 18 days of incubation. For only three weeks, parents have to take care of their cubs, after which the young swallows fly out of the nest and into independent life. After seeing off the first brood, a pair of birds begins to prepare for the incubation of the second. If the year is warm, the swallows have time to release their cubs three times a season.

Village and city swallows: interesting facts

A related species of the Barn Swallow is the Barn Swallow, the most common variety of these migratory birds. Many interesting facts are known about their lives:

  1. The song of the swallow consists of voiced “twist-twist”, but when the birds notice danger, they alarm all members of the huge flock, warning about this with a loud “tsivit”.

  2. It happens that the chicks from the last brood do not have time to get stronger and are not able to fly with the flock to warmer climes with the onset of cold weather. In this case, the swallows - parents do not abandon their still weak children and stay with them until they can fly for the winter.

  3. While wintering in Africa, swallows feed on ants, these birds really like such a variety in the usual menu of flying insects.

  4. Relatively recently, thanks to the banding of swallows, scientists managed to find out that after spending the summer period in Central Europe, these birds go to winter in South Africa.

  5. During long flights to warm regions, swallows, unfortunately, often die of exhaustion and hunger.

  6. The barn swallow cannot live without singing. She sings when she is looking for food in flight, she sings when she is swinging, sitting on wires and she sings when she is just resting.

  7. When in ancient Rome, after the chariot races, the hero who won the first place was announced, the colors of the winner were tied to the legs of the swallows and the bird was released into the sky, as a symbol of victory and free flight.

    Learn more