Barn Swallows

Mom or Dad on the nest

Hirundo rustica
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When I moved into my apartment in Colorado, the manager apologized because there was a swallow’s nest on the light by my front door, and he said they weren’t allowed to remove it. I thanked him for NOT removing it because A) it is illegal to move/destroy an active bird nest, and B) what super fun neighbors! I named my WiFi “Swallows Nest” and embraced the role of auntie. I checked on them every day and watched the babies hatch, grow up, and fledge. I did feel the effects of being an empty-nester over the winter, but then, before I knew it, they were back!

Now that I am in Kansas, we have a lovely couple who have constructed a nest at the Zoo near where my building is, so I get to watch them every day. They are between broods at the moment.

Barn Swallows are the most common species of Swallow in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica. They breed in the Northern Hemisphere and overwinter (which is actually summer there) in the Southern Hemisphere. Barn Swallows used to be cliff nesters, but now they nest almost exclusively on human-built structures. The one exception is a colony in the California Channel Islands that still nests on cliffs. Next time I am out there, I need to look for them!

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