  The Barn Swallows arrive in the North toward the end of April and leave early in September. They are sociable birds and travel in huge flocks. Food: Insects, caught upon the wing, form the diet of those Swallows. They dart here and there, over field and water, catching their prey in swift, graceful flight. Feet: Often, in the season of migration, thousands of Swallows perch upon telephone wires, sometimes in such large numbers that the wires are broken. Their small feet are well suited for this, but not for walking upon the ground. Tail: The tail of the Barn Swallow is deeply forked. When perched, these long protruding outer tail feathers serve to distinguish the Barn Swallow from all other native Swallows. Song: The gentle twitter of the Barn Swallow is a familiar sound about many a farm where an old barn or other outbuilding may provide a nesting site. It is a musical sound that changes to a “kit-tic—kit-tic” when the bird becomes excited. Nest: The cup-shaped nest of the Barn Swallow is made of mud and is lined with grass and feathers. It is stuck to the side of a rafter or beam or against the inside of the weather-boarding of an old barn where a broken window pane or other hole admits the bird from the out-of-doors. The eggs are white, speckled with brown and lavender. THE TREE SWALLOW Tree Swallows nest both in hollow trees and in nesting boxes that man has erected for their use. The upper parts of this bird are of a blue-green color while the under parts are of a pure white. When going to the south they collect in huge flocks and, after having flown high into the air, they begin their journey in the daytime. At Long Beach, Long Island, thousands of them have been observed feeding upon the bayberry bushes just before they started south. 1. Purple Martin |
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