{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "barn-swallow",
  "name": "Barn Swallow",
  "scientificName": "Hirundo rustica",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is a fork-tailed aerial insectivore that breeds across the Northern Hemisphere and winters in Africa, South America, and southern Asia. It nests on beams in barns and under bridges, weighs about 20 g, and is listed Least Concern, though some European farmland populations have declined with fewer insects and nest sites.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Passeriformes",
    "family": "Hirundinidae",
    "genus": "Hirundo"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.02,
    "lengthM": 0.18,
    "topSpeedKmh": 60,
    "lifespanYears": 4
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Hirundo rustica"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Insectivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Open country, farms, and wetlands"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 4 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 0.02 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 60 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Breeds across the Northern Hemisphere; winters in Africa, South America, and southern Asia.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "Europe",
      "Asia",
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/barn-swallow/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/barn-swallow/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}