9 Fascinating Barn Swallow Facts
Updated: Jan. 26, 2024
From symbolism to their bug catching abilities, there's a lot to learn about a barn swallow. Learn about their nests, eggs and more.
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1. Barn Swallows Are World Travelers
Barn swallows are found all over the world. You can spot a barn swallow on six continents: North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. They’re most common over fields, farmland and water. They are a long-distance migrant that can be seen at many spring migration hotspots across America.
See expert tips to identify more types of swallows.
2. Barn Swallows and Early Conservation
George Grinnell played a huge role in early conservation. After he became editor of Forest and Stream magazine in 1876, he launched a campaign to stop barn swallows and egrets from being hunted for hat feathers.
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3. Barn Swallow Meaning and Symbolism
Traditionally, British sailors would get a barn swallow tattoo after traveling 5,000 nautical miles. The bird symbolized the hope of the sailor returning home or to a loved one. There are other birds that carry deep symbolism. Here’s what it means if you see a cardinal.
4. Barn Swallow Nests
Male and female pairs build an open cup-shaped nest together, working into the base, dried grass and white feathers to provide a soft lining. Feathers are popular nest-lining items for several kinds of swallows. Barn swallows commonly nest in the eaves of houses. During the breeding season, keep an eye out for puddles on your property. You may see these birds collecting bits of mud for their nests. If you’re lucky, they may come back to the same nesting spots each year.
Learn more about swallow nests and nesting habits.
5. Barn Swallow Eggs
Each nest holds four to five bird eggs on average. Eggs are very pale, elongated ovals with reddish brown spots. Breeding pairs have one or two broods a year.
Cliff swallow vs barn swallow: find out how to spot the differences.
6. What Do Barn Swallows Eat?
Some experts suggest that one barn swallow can gobble up to 850 bugs a day. They’re on the hunt for larger insects like flies, beetles and wasps. Tree swallows have a more varied diet.
7. Barn Swallow Flight
These birds are commonly seen swooping low over fields or water, eating their food on the go. But they’re also known to look for prey up to 100 feet in the air.
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8. Will Barn Swallows Nest in a Bird House?
Barn swallows will gladly take up residence on a nest shelf or a nest box. Visit the NestWatch website to learn about nest shelves and where to place them.
These birds prefer the eaves of roofs and under structures like bridges. Before permeant man-made structures were common in North America, barn swallows primarily nested in caves.
Barn swallows sometimes raise a different brood in the same nest. Learn which other birds reuse their nests.
9. How to Attract Barn Swallows
Barn swallows skip most feeders, including suet feeders. They like areas with clear airspace and plenty of bugs. But if you put out crushed eggshells, they may take a nibble. This helps them with digestion and gives them a boost of calcium.
Next, learn how to make a purple martin gourd house.
