The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is one of eight species of the swallow family that inhabits the state of Texas, and is the only one of its genus. This particular species is a migratory bird that is a winter resident in central Mexico. During the summer months, it can be observed throughout North America, including throughout the great state of Texas. Although it is nowhere rare in Texas, it seems to be particularly common throughout the western 2/3rds of the state.
This variety of swallow is the largest of the family, save the Purple Martin. Barn Swallows have a body length between six and seven inches while the wingspan can be just more than thirteen inches. While these measurements make it the second largest of the family, it is quite a bit more slender than its closely related cousins.
Like many other species of the swallow family, the Barn Swallow has a coloration of indigo on the back and wing tops. This indigo color tends to iridize when seen in bright sunlight. The top of the head is also blue-black in coloration and is adorned with a rusty colored forehead. The chin is also a rusty color, while the under parts of the body are a combination of white and cinnamon. The tail is colored like the body and is long and deeply forked. This tail structure is one distinguishing characteristic that can be utilized to identify this species from other similar looking swallows.
Barn Swallows are commonly seen while foraging for food or when swooping down to get a drink wile in mid-flight. It has a flight pattern that has been described as graceful, with deep, but quick wing beats followed by inconsistent times of gliding. Occasionally it can be seen perched on telephone or electric lines, although the most frequent area that it can be seen is the areas where it nests.
This species is gregarious as well as primarily communal, particularly when nesting. The males and females are monogamous, and the female plays a game of “hard-toget/ catch-me-if-you-can” game that the interested male participates in. After mating, both sexes assist one another in building the nest out of mud or clay mixed with grass, twigs, and even horsehair. These cup-shaped clay/mud nests are often built inside of barns or other building, and are built right above the doorframes of houses with covered porches. Other nesting areas include places like cliffs, caves, and even under bridges. Wherever the nest is constructed, the parents will often utilize the same nesting site year after year.
Generally, both parents will incubate the four to seven half-inch long white eggs for the duration of the two week incubation period. After hatching, the young will stay in the nest for another three weeks or so and during this time, both parents will feed them. When the young swallows are ready to leave the nest, they are colored very similarly to the adults, just a bit drabber. The iridescence does not begin to show up for a couple of more months as the bird matures.
The main diet of this pretty little bird is insects, particularly types that many people consider to be pests. It has been known to fly behind farm equipment, including lawn mowers, attempting to capture flying insects that are stirred up by the commotion. Some of its prey items also include crop-damaging insects, and for this reason, many farmers and ranchers include this species as a welcome addition of the natural world to their land.
