Fall Migration Focus: Barn Swallow
Approaching Cove Pond IBA, the air is filled with tiny dark blue missiles darting through the air. For many, it is difficult to discern the species as their patterns are erratic and they are speedy.
They are next to impossible to photograph. I know this with certainty as I have tried. Most shots are a mere blur. I have made peace with my shortcomings in this area and settled for a brief video clip.
Barn Swallows are the early precursor of Fall Migration and can be found on Anguilla’s wetlands and shorelines starting in late August. It begins with just a few birds. Within a week, hundreds of individuals can be seen feeding. Their diet consists of flying insects captured in midflight no more than three feet above the water. Flies are a favored food source, and our wetlands are full of them, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon.
Eventually, they have to land somewhere, and electric wires are a favored location. Tree branches also provide a resting spot for this species. This is the best opportunity I have to capture the essence of the bird.
Like most species visiting Anguilla at this time of year, I see a mix of adults and juveniles. Most adults are already molting out of their breeding plumages but still display the orange throat markings.
The extremely forked tail is a significant field marker for this species. The male displays a more pronounced fork than the female or juvenile bird.
Birds of the World provides an excellent overview of this species:
“The most widely distributed and abundant swallow in the world, the Barn Swallow breeds throughout most of North America and Eurasia, and overwinters in Central and South America, southern Spain, Morocco, Egypt, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, India, Indochina, Malaysia, and Australia. Originally nesting primarily in caves, the Barn Swallow has almost completely converted to nesting under the eaves of buildings or on other artificial structures such as bridges and culverts. In North America, this shift in nesting sites began before European settlement and was virtually complete by the mid 1900s; nowadays, the Barn Swallow is rarely observed nesting on natural substrates. As with other swallows that have shifted to nesting on human-made structures, such as Common House-Martin (Delichon urbicum), Purple Martin (Progne subis) and Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), the Barn Swallow now frequently nests in colonies that are larger in size than probably occurred in natural settings.”
The Barn Swallow is associated with a bit of superstition. If they nest on your property, please take note!
“In many parts of the world, having Barn Swallows nesting on one's property is considered a sign of good fortune or a harbinger of spring. Legend has it that Barn Swallows consoled Christ on the cross by trying to remove the crown of thorns from his head and attempting to divert those coming to arrest him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Stories are told that Barn Swallows got their forked tails because they stole fire from the gods to give to the people, and their central tail feathers were shortened when they were burnt off by a firebrand hurled by a wrathful deity (3, 4). Other legends have it that cows will give bloody milk or go dry if anything inopportune happens to the Barn Swallows nesting on a farm; lightning may even strike a house if a Barn Swallow nest is removed.”
While I see a few in the Spring, Fall Migration is the best time to see Barn Swallows in Anguilla. They will spend a few weeks here, eventually moving on to their southern wintering grounds.
It’s a great time to take a walk on the wild side!
Thank you for this interesting article. These are one of my favorite birds. 🥰