Barn swallow (killer whale). Report with photos and video

We are all pleased to find this bird outside our window, because when the swallows arrive, spring comes. These are migratory birds with long, pointed wings and streamlined bodies. Due to this body shape, their flight is very fast. They are often seen over fields, gardens, lakes, where insects are abundant. They are recognized by their forked tail. There is a legend that says that this bird helped people steal fire from the gods; the angry god threw a burning coal at it, which, hitting the middle of its tail, burned it.

Swallow: description

Swallows have a metallic blue-black color, the chest and belly are light gray, with a rufous mark on the forehead in young animals; in adults, the chest and forehead are white. They have a long forked tail with a row of white spots on individual feathers. The swallow's wings are pointed, have outer tail feathers (streamers), and in males they are slightly shorter than in females.

The size of an adult male is 17-19 cm in length, including a tail of 2-7 cm. The wingspan is 32-34.5 cm, in the air the bird makes 5.3 beats per minute, weight - 16-22 g. If the tail is shorter, This means this is a female swallow. The description of the bird is very similar to the swift, and they are often confused. The head is flattened, with a short beak. Adults shed once a year from about August to March.

This bird has a very wide distribution and can be found all over the world, with the exception of the northern regions. The swallow's flight is not fast, usually the speed is 5-10 km/h at an altitude of 7-9 meters above the ground or water. At the same time, it is very maneuverable, since it needs to catch insects in the air. While flying over water, it can simultaneously swim and dive into the water.

Nutrition

Swallows are insectivorous. In the air during flight, they catch insects with their wide-open beaks. In bad weather, birds may eat some berries, seeds and dead insects. Prolonged precipitation can create problems for foraging, leading to mortality. Flying over water, birds dip their beaks into the water and scoop up moisture for drinking.

Nesting

Spring swallows arrive around April, they build nests from mud and plant fibers on beams, under the roofs of houses or on rock ledges, and cover them inside with straw and down. Existing nests are frequently updated and reused for nearly 50 years. The time from the start of nest construction to the flight of the young is from 44 to 58 days. If built too quickly or because of humidity, nests may collapse or fall.

To build a house, birds collect dirt from the edges of ponds, puddles and ditches; to complete construction they will need to fly from puddle to nest about 1000 times. Mud collecting and nest building are social activities for cliff swallows. Numerous small holes from their beaks remain on the surface of the puddles.

Songs of swallows

The sounds that the bird makes are similar to gurgling and chirping. This is how swallows communicate with each other when they feed their babies, fly up to nests, and when there is danger. The sound produced is low, soft, hoarse, similar to a creaking door.

Reproduction

These birds, as a rule, are monogamous, maintaining connections with one partner. Marriages for one season also occur; in rare cases, a male has two females. Birds often nest in colonies. Typically, a paired swallow aggressively defends a small area around the nest from other individuals. The description of reproduction and development is as follows:

Description

A small bird, body length 14.6-19.9 cm, wingspan 31.8-34.3 cm. The bird's weight is 17-20 g. The color is blue-black with a metallic sheen above, pale beige below. There are light brown spots on the forehead and front of the neck. The tail is long, with a deep cut in the middle. Males and females look approximately the same, although females are often slightly less contrastingly colored and have a slightly shorter tail.

Spreading

Barn swallows are found in all biogeographic regions except Australia and Antarctica. The area where they breed includes Northern Europe, North America, North and Central Asia, North Africa, Middle East, South China and Japan. They winter in South America, South Asia, Indonesia and Micronesia.

They easily adapt to various conditions where there is food available, a source of water and a place for shelter, usually a protrusion of something. They can often be seen in areas used for agriculture, where they settle near barns and other outbuildings. They also build their nests under bridges, on the eaves of old houses, on boat docks, as well as in rock caves, and even slow-moving trains. During the flight, they try to stay in open spaces, often near water or along mountain ridges. They usually nest at altitudes below 3000 m above sea level.

Lifestyle

Barn swallows are migratory birds leading a daily lifestyle. They arrive around mid-May. In the second half of the month, nest construction and egg laying occur. Incubation lasts 12-13 days, feeding the chicks lasts about 20 days. At the end of June, chicks emerge. The mass departure takes place in September.

The singing of barn swallows resembles a twitter that ends with a characteristic trill. Lead a social lifestyle, gathering in large groups and sitting together on wires and other elevations. More often than other swallows, they land on the ground. They also nest in large colonies. Within a colony, each pair defends the territory around its nest. In Europe, this area is 4-8 m².

Nutrition

Barn swallows feed on insects: flies, grasshoppers, crickets, dragonflies, beetles and other flying insects make up 99% of their diet. They catch most of their prey in flight, and are able to feed their chicks in flight.

Reproduction

Barn swallows are considered monogamous, monogamous birds. However, it is common for them to create another pair, which makes them genetically polygamous. Married couples are formed every spring immediately after arriving at their summer residence. Every year, couples are formed in a new way, although if they previously had a successful brood, they can maintain cohabitation for several years in a row. Males try to attract females by spreading their tails and twittering with a frizzy trill.

Males left without a pair usually often join another pair, remaining with them throughout the season. Although these "helpers" typically do not feed the chicks, they can help build and guard the nest, incubate eggs and hatch offspring. They can also mate with a female, thus forming a polygamous pair.

The mating season for barn swallows typically occurs from May to August, but varies greatly depending on location. During the summer, the female, as a rule, manages to hatch two litters. Both parents participate in nest construction. They first make a frame out of mud and then wrap it around it with grass and feathers. The female lays 3-7 white eggs with brown-red, gray or purple specks, but most often 5 eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs, whose incubation period is 13-15 days. The chicks emerge naked and helpless. Both the male and female feed the chicks, protect the nest and remove droppings from it. Feeding occurs up to 400 times a day; before giving the chick an insect, the parents roll it (the insect) into a ball. The chicks remain in the nest for approximately 20 days until they are able to fly. When a person picks them up, they try to take off, even if they don’t know how to do this yet. After the chicks have learned to fly, the parents continue to help them for about a week, feeding them and showing them the way back to the nest. Having begun to fly, the chicks scatter away from their parents within 2 weeks and often join other bird colonies. Barn swallows reach sexual maturity the following season after they hatch. As a rule, young birds produce fewer offspring than more mature ones.

On average, barn swallows live 4 years. Although there is documented evidence of eight-year-old birds, they are still considered an exception.

Gallery

Numismatics

Estonia's first platinum coin, mintage 3000 pieces.

The barn swallow is the national symbol of the Republic of Estonia. In February 2008, the National Bank of Estonia issued the first ever platinum coin in the denomination of 100 kroons. The circulation of the coin is 3000 pieces. The reverse features a barn swallow, the symbol of Estonia. The coin is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Estonia. In addition to the platinum coin, there were 2 more silver coins with the image of this bird. 10 and 100 kroner, issued in 1992.

The barn swallow is depicted on the Slovenian 2 tolar coin.

Notes

Links

Categories:

• Animals in alphabetical order
• Species out of danger
• Real swallows
• Birds of Eurasia
• Birds of North America
• Birds of South America
• Birds of Africa
• Animals described in 1758

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Many people know swallows from signs, fairy tales and visual acquaintance with them. Most of us have seen swallows within the city, leaving in our memory the image of a fragile, fast bird big size. Those living in apartments have the opportunity to constantly admire them, and sometimes even be offended by them, because swallows very quickly build their nests on balconies, right above the windows. This proximity leads to a constantly dirty windowsill and swallows singing at dawn.

The weasels themselves belong to the passerine family. Unlike their cousins, weasels sitting idle can only be seen on their nest while feeding chicks or collecting twigs for the nest. Birds spend the main part of their life in flight, during which the following occurs:

• feeding;
• drink;
• pairing;

What do swallows eat?

Since the swallow spends almost all its time in flight, it feeds on the fly. Hovering in the air with an open beak, the birds catch midges and insects, which are their main food. Swallows also prefer tasty bugs, grasshoppers, candles and dragonflies.

In flight, birds open their mouths and catch various insects, which they swallow after filling their mouths. The accelerated digestion of birds does not allow them to be distracted from hunting.

After birth, chicks cannot fly until 2 weeks of age. At first, swallows feed their offspring with caught insects, placing them in the mouths of the chicks, who swallow them on their own.

The need for water is satisfied by rain droplets and evaporation collected by the open beak. Swallows living near bodies of water or flying near them can capture small portions of water with their beaks.

Swallows collect materials to build nests.

External features of swallows

Many birds of the same species differ significantly from each other depending on the region where they live. Swallows, on the contrary, have a sufficient number of similarities:

• small beak, widened towards the base;
• large oral cavity;
• the wings are narrow and long, reaching 32-35 cm in span;
• the refined body with a total length of 9-24 cm is distinguished by a wide chest;
• low legs that prevent movement on hard surfaces;
• dense plumage is observed throughout the body;
• the color of the back is different from the other parts and stands out with a steel tint;
• regardless of age and gender, the birds have the same color;
• The birds' weight reaches 12-65 grams.

But at first glance, the identity of the birds still has differences.

Swallows that settle in burrows on earthen cliffs are called coastalswallows. These individuals are smaller in size than their counterparts, and have brown plumage with a distinctive feature gray located along the chest and abdomen.

Urbanswallows, brighter in color and have a division into dark top part body and white plumage on the lower and inner sides.

Swallows also settle in rural areas, supplementing their diet with butterflies and mosquitoes. Villageswallows a little larger, but their body is thinner and more graceful. A distinctive feature of this species is the presence of a red mark on the forehead and neck.

Swallow habitat

Swallows are divided into several categories:

1. Migratory, those that fly to warmer regions when the cold season approaches. After winter, swallows return to their nests.
2. Resident swallows settle in warm countries where the climate allows birds to live all year round without flying to warm countries for a while.

This division allows a bird seen in a certain region to be classified as migratory or sedentary. You can meet swallows in America, Europe and Asia. The north-eastern part of Africa is also suitable for swallows.

Swallow (lat. Hirundinidae) is a small songbird with black plumage with a white belly and rump. Noticeable is the short tail, which has a fork at the end. To the question of where swallows live, a simple answer can be given: everywhere. They cannot be found only in the Far North. The most suitable territory for living is the steppe zone.

The family of birds is very numerous - over a hundred species. The most common of them are city, village and shore swallows. The differences between the three types are not very significant.

Habitats

Because of the blue-black color of the feathers, they are also called “funnels.” As their name suggests, they prefer to settle in populated areas. The places where swallows live are usually located under the roofs or eaves of houses. In cozy corners, far from clawed enemies, city dwellers build their safe nests. Where do swallows live? In the nest, of course. Dry plant twigs, wood chips, and straws are used to build houses. Earth or clay is used as the main material. By holding together all the components with the help of saliva, they form spherical nests.

Where barn swallows live is an open area and there are no forests. Often birds are located closer to human habitation, arranging their nests in such a way as to reliably shelter them from bad weather. These could be attics, barns or other agricultural buildings. A bird's home can be found under the eaves of a house and even under a bridge. The shape of the nest is semicircular with an entrance hole located in the upper part.

Barn Swallows have the same coloration as Swallows, the only difference being that they have a bright red necklace around their necks. Otherwise they are called “killer whales” because of their long forked tail.

Where do they spend the winter?

All swallows spend the winter in distant and hot Africa, flying there in September. Returning to their native places in mid-May, they immediately begin building houses and laying eggs. After a couple of weeks, the chicks are born. Parents take turns incubating their babies, providing each other with food. During the summer, birds manage to produce offspring twice.

Swallows eat only insects: beetles, flies, grasshoppers, crickets, dragonflies. Eating them in large quantities, bring benefits environment. During the feeding period, they fly to nests with food up to six hundred times.

Constant hunting for insects has led to folk wisdom about the coming rain. Before precipitation falls, the air is filled with moisture, which makes the wings of insects heavier. This causes them to sink low to the ground. Birds also descend lower in pursuit of insects. Hence the sign: low-flying swallows foretell imminent rain.

Shore swallows

Shore swallows differ from their counterparts in color. Their feathers are brownish-brown. This allows them to cleverly camouflage themselves from possible enemies. Coastal birds build their homes in burrows, which they dig in cliffs above the banks of rivers and lakes. A nest is made in the depths of the hole. Construction material It uses dry blades of grass and stems, which the shore birds do not glue together with saliva, but simply lay out.

Restless swallows are able to fly for a long time without sitting down. It is very interesting to observe colonies of coastal birds. Sufficient food is always found where swallows live. That's why birds fly over water all day long. Swooping over a pond, they can have time to drink or swim instantly.

Conclusion

The places where the siskin and the swallow live are always noisy because both birds sing loudly. Above the open space you can hear the noisy cries of birdies talking to each other.

Swallow bird 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 one. Its habitat also includes Asia. You can also meet these birds in cold countries.

The fact where he lives bird influences what Is the swallow migratory or not?. If a 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 capable of eating, drinking, mating and even sleeping in the air. There are many species of swallows, and they all have common similarities:

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

Varieties of swallows

Shore swallow. 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 reservoirs. Pairs of birds look for soft soil on the slopes of cliffs and dig tunnels in them for their homes. If, while digging, they come across dense soil, they stop digging this hole and start a new one.

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

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

Birds settle in whole colonies. Shore swallows also hunt in colonies, darting over meadows and ponds in one direction and then in the other.

Shore swallow

City swallow. The city swallow bird has a slightly shorter tail, a white rump and a white belly. The bird's legs are also covered with white feathers. The body length is 145 mm, body weight is up to 19 grams.

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

In the photo there is a city swallow

Barn Swallow. A 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 the throat and forehead. This bird is migratory.

Builds nests in Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Under natural conditions, birds nest in caves. IN last years birds began to build nests in people's homes. Swallows especially like village dwellings. Every year the birds return to their original nesting site.

The nest is built from mud, which is collected on the banks of rivers, so that the mud does not dry out during the migration; 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 swallow is not at all afraid of humans, and often flies next to them.

Barn Swallow

Character and lifestyle of swallows

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

Their limbs are practically not adapted for moving on the ground, which is why they only descend on them 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. Swallow speed is 120 km/h. She has a very beautiful voice, her singing resembles a chirp that ends in a trill.

Birds hunt for insects and beetles, which they also catch in flight. The birds' diet also includes grasshoppers and crickets. Almost 98% of swallows' total diet consists of insects. Birds also feed their chicks in flight.

Reproduction and lifespan

Birds are monogamous, creating strong and long-lasting pairs. Sometimes, of course, there are cases of polygamous relationships among swallows. Pairs form with the arrival of spring. If the pair formed well and the brood was good last year, the pairs can persist for many years. Males attract the attention of females by spreading their tails and chirping loudly.

Swallow chicks

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

The mating period in birds begins in early summer. During a season, a female can raise two broods. Both parents participate in the construction of the home. Construction begins by making a frame using mud, which is wrapped around grass and feathers.

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

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

In the photo there is a nest of swallows

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

Sexual maturity occurs in swallows the very next year after birth. Young birds produce fewer offspring than adults. Average lifespan of swallows is up to 4 years. There are exceptions where birds live up to eight years.

The swallow is a very beautiful and friendly bird. They build their homes right in people's houses, without fearing for their lives and the lives of their chicks. Many people don't even try to drive birds out of their homes. What bird how not martin maybe so friendly.