BARNS, BARN SWALLOWS AND POPULATION DECLINE

PLEASANT VIEW FARM BARN, RICHMOND KENTUCKY AREA

My son and I made a trip to the above historic farm to check out some old farm  structures that  still remain on the early 1800s property. We were unaware of the beautiful twentieth-century barn that rested on a knoll at the back of property. 


As we approached the barn a burst of approximately 30 - 50 Barn Swallows flew out from unknown corners of the barn and swirled about in the air. They eventually settled down on bare branches and telephone wires giving us a look- over. 

My son escaped into the barn from the swirling birds and discovered their nests built on the barn beams. Since this was mid-August we presumed that the nests were empty?

Afterwards, back at my house we talked about the beautiful birds and their place in the environment. I decided to do a bit of "digging" to find information on their behavior and history.

BARN INTERIOR WITH BARN SWALLOW NESTS ON UPPER BEAMS

In the photo above, if one looks at the top barn rafters, one can make out the many barn swallow nests. 


Barn swallows are found over much of the globe. Here, I am only discussing those found in the North American continent. These birds are migratory, spending the winters in South America. Their diet is mainly insects that they grab in the air as they fly. They migrate to South America as winter in North America provides little in the way of insects. They spend their summers in North America breeding and raising their young on a rich abundance of insects. 

BARN SWALLOWS -- (hirundo - rustica)
PERCHING ON NEARBY  ELECTRICAL WIRES OUTSIDE OF ABOVE BARN

Their population remains somewhat steady but declines in populations are being observed. As an example, they are still common in Washington State but the Breeding Bird census indicates that swallows have decreased significantly in the state since 1980

OLDER BARN SWALLOW CHICKS IN THEIR NEST
(Wikipedia -- Walter Siegmund photo)

The main reasons for decline seems to be urban development and industrial agriculture. Barn swallow habitat requires open fields and meadows, water availability and structures such as old barns that one finds in the country. In these old structures they can colonize their nests and be somewhat protected from their main predators such as owls, hawks, and snakes. However, barns and other farm outbuildings are being torn down as industrial agriculture and urban growth reach their tentacles into the countryside. Another factor is that family farms are ceasing operation, forced out by economic reasons, reducing insect populations to 50% resulting in a 50% reduction in barn swallows in these small farm areas. 

Barn swallows play an important role in controlling insects in cultivated areas where they dine on mosquitoes, crickets, flies, grasshoppers and other flying insects. 


What measures can be taken to stop Barn Swallow decline?

Barn Swallow at Nest
(Reference-Artificial Barn Swallow Nests Site)

A suggestion is being made on the site, Artificial Barn Swallow Nests. Opening passage is as follows:
"In the past two years since posting these personal pages, several hundred people have emailed asking about either how to get rid of barn swallows nesting on the light fixture over their front door or how to attract swallows to their property. The majority of people emailing us about swallows have a single pair nesting on their porch or under their eaves or deck. They often state that they had several pair in their yard in the spring, but only one pair stayed to nest. The frequency of single pair nestings was a surprise to me, since my experience has been with large or smaller colonies, both on our property and elsewhere. Here in the East, old barns are disappearing at an alarming rate and many long term colonies of swallows have been forced to disperse ..." 


Click here to read the entire article mentioned above that encourages nesting boxes or shelves to provide places for our beleaguered Barn Swallows.

To learn more about breeding, mating and other interesting Barn Swallow facts check out the identification tips and links below. 

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U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY IDENTIFICATION TIPS:

• Length: 6 inches
• Tiny bill
• Dark orange forehead and throat
• Pale orange underparts
• Dark, iridiscent upperparts
• Long, deeply forked tail
• Juvenile similar to adult but paler underneath with a shorter tail
• Most often seen flying
• Will nest communally in mud nests under bridges, in barns and caves, etc

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LINKS:


Bird Web; Washington State, Seattle Audubon Society


University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity Web


Life Histories of Familiar North American Birds 1942 Smithsonian Institute


Artificial Barn Swallow Nests