# Barn Swallow (*Hirundo rustica*)

> 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.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Breeds across the Northern Hemisphere; winters in Africa, South America, and southern Asia.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/barn-swallow/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Passeriformes
- **Family:** Hirundinidae
- **Genus:** Hirundo

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Hirundo rustica |
| Diet | Insectivore |
| Habitat | Open country, farms, and wetlands |
| Lifespan | Around 4 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 0.02 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 60 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Forked tail and mud cups

Long outer tail feathers aid aerial agility; adults build open mud-pellet cups stuck to vertical walls under eaves. Both parents feed chicks a stream of flying insects.

## Hawking insects on the wing

Diet is almost entirely flying insects — flies, beetles, aphids, and flying ants — caught in continuous flight over fields, water, and livestock yards.

## Global migrant of farms

Breeds across North America, Europe, and Asia in open country, farms, and wetlands; winters in the Southern Hemisphere. Traditional barns and bridges provide nest sites.

## Insect declines and sealed buildings

Still Least Concern globally, but modern sealed barns, fewer insects from intensive farming, and bad weather on migration cut some regional numbers. Leaving access to outbuildings helps nesting pairs.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why do barn swallows have forked tails?

Long streamers improve manoeuvrability when chasing insects and play a role in mate choice.

### Do barn swallows migrate to Africa?

European breeders largely winter in sub-Saharan Africa; American birds head to Central and South America.

### What do barn swallows eat?

Flying insects caught on the wing — not seeds or fruit.

### Where do barn swallows nest?

Mud cup nests on beams, eaves, bridges, and similar sheltered vertical surfaces near open foraging habitat.

### Are barn swallows declining?

Some farmland populations have dropped with insect and nest-site loss, though the species remains Least Concern worldwide.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/barn-swallow/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.