Species: Hirundo rustica

Barn Swallow

Species

Birds

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Terrestrial vertebrates: birds

Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Craniata

Class

Aves

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Hirundinidae

Genus

Hirundo

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104225

Classification

Other Global Common Names

Andorinha-da-Chaminé, Andorinha-do-Bando - Golondrina Tijereta - hirondelle rustique

Informal Taxonomy

Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Perching Birds

Formal Taxonomy

Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Passeriformes - Hirundinidae - Hirundo - Composed of two groups: ERYTHROGASTER (Barn Swallow) breeding in North America and RUSTICA (European Swallow) breeding in Eurasia (AOU 1998). Zink et al. (1995) found that populations on Asian and North American sides of Beringia exhibited a level of mtDNA differentiation intermediate between populations and species; however, sample sizes were small and no formal taxonomic change was recommended. See Sheldon and Winkler (1993) for information on intergeneric phylogenetic relationships of Hirundininae based on DNA-DNA hybridization. May form a superspecies with H. LUCIDA, H. AETHIOPICA, H. ANGOLENSIS, H. ALBIGULARIS, H. DUMICOLA, H. TAHITICA, and H. NEOXENA (AOU 1998).

Ecology and Life History

Short General Description

A bird (swallow).

Migration

false - false - true - Arrives in much of U.S. in April, Alaska in May (Terres 1980). Common migrant in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Migrates through Costa Rica mainly early to mid-August through October and early March-late May or early June (Stiles and Skutch 1989). In South America mainly August to May (though some may linger throughout year) (Hilty and Brown 1986, Ridgely and Tudor 1989). See Turner and Rose 1989 for information on Old World migrations.

Non-migrant

false

Locally Migrant

false

Food Comments

Flies over open land and water and forages on insects; forages nearer to the ground than other swallows (usually not greater than 10 meters and often less than 1 meter above the ground) (Brown and Brown 1999). Feeds opportunistically on a wide variety of flying insects; primarily true flies (Diptera), but also beetles, true bugs, leafhoppers, Hymenoptera, dragonflies and damselflies, butterflies and moths, and occasionally grasshoppers and crickets (Beal 1918, Hoskyn 1988). Usually forages within a few hundred meters of nest when breeding. Occasionally may take insects from ground or vegetation; rarely eats berries (Beal 1918).

Reproduction Comments

Clutch size is usually 4-5. Incubation lasts 13-17 days (less often 11-19 days), mainly or totally (e.g., in Europe) by female. Often 2 broods, except in far north. Young are tended by both adults, fledge at 18-23 days, stay together and are fed by parents for about a week. Females first breed at 1 year, a few males remain unpaired until 2 years old. Adults often have same mate in successive years (Shields 1984). Juveniles may help feed young of second brood.

Ecology Comments

Nonbreeding: may form flocks of up to thousands.

Length

Weight

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

Global Status Last Reviewed

1996-12-02

Global Status Last Changed

1996-12-02

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

H - >2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles) - H - BREEDING: south-coastal and southeastern Alaska, across much of Canada south through much of U.S. to central Mexico; also eastern Buenos Aires province, Argentina, in early 1980s (Ridgely and Tudor 1989); across Eurasia to Mediterranean region, northern Africa, China, Japan. NON-BREEDING: mainly South America, regularly from Costa Rica and West Indies to Tierra del Fuego (but in low numbers south of central Chile and northern Argentina, Ridgely and Tudor 1989); Africa and southern Asia; uncommon in Puerto Rico. Accidental in Hawaii.

Global Range Code

Global Range Description

>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104225