Wildlifeof Malaysia
Barn Swallow
Swallows & Martins
Photo: Hari K Patibanda · CC BY 2.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Hirundo rustica
Basic stats
Diet
Insects caught in flight
Habitat
Open country; nests in man-made structures
Range
Every continent; breeds across the Northern Hemisphere
Size
17–19cm including tail streamers
Wingspan
32–34.5cm
Weight
16–22g
The barn swallow is the most widespread swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. It has blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail. The adult male of the nominate subspecies is 17 to 19 cm long, including 2 to 7 cm of elongated outer tail feathers, with a wingspan of 32 to 34.5 cm, and weighs 16 to 22 g (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is a bird of open country that normally nests in man-made structures, building a cup nest from mud pellets, and it feeds on insects caught in flight. Eight subspecies breed across the Northern Hemisphere, and the winter ranges of six cover much of the Southern Hemisphere. It is the national bird of Austria and Estonia (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Barn Swallow eat?
- Insects caught in flight
- What habitat does the Barn Swallow live in?
- Open country; nests in man-made structures
- Where is the Barn Swallow found?
- Every continent; breeds across the Northern Hemisphere
- How big is the Barn Swallow?
- 17–19cm including tail streamers
- What is the wingspan of the Barn Swallow?
- 32–34.5cm
- How much does the Barn Swallow weigh?
- 16–22g