TheCommitteeon theStatusofSpecies
atRisk inOntario (COSSARO) has
added theBarnSwallow to the list
of Threatenedspecies tobe
regulatedunder the
Endangered
SpeciesAct,
2007 (ESA).
Although theystilloccur inrelative
abundance inOntario,
theBarnSwallow
is recognized as being in decline. A common
bird inour landscapesince recordswere first kept,
the reason for this decline isn’t perfectly known. It’s
believed tobemostly a food relatedproblem, anda
loss of nesting sites. Barn Swallows arepart of agroupof
birds, known as “aerial insectivores”, meaning they catch
their insect prey on thewing, dartinggracefully over fields,
barnyards, andopenwater in searchof flying insect prey.Oth-
ers in this group includeall swallows andmartins, the threatened
ChimneySwift,Whip-poor-willandCommonNighthawk,whichare
listedasSpecialConcern species inOntario.
Prettymuchanyonewhohasspent timeona farmoratacottage likely
knows the Barn Swallowwhich is unique in having a long, deeply
forked tail that streams out behind this agile flyer and sets it apart from
all otherNorthAmerican swallows. These long tail streamers, combined
with the richchestnutbreastandbellymake its identificationquite straightforward. Theyoften live inclose
associationwithhumans,andareveryadaptablebirds. True to theirname theybuild their cup-shapedmud
nests, linedwithgrass and feathers almost exclusivelyon human-made structures suchas openbarns, under
bridges, inculvertsandevenon slow-moving trains. Theywill alsobuildnestsonhorizontal beams, or on topof
ledges, light fixtures, cables,etc.whichprovideadditional support for thenest. Themaleand femalework together
tobuildanest andusuallybreedbetweenMayandAugust, generally raising twobroodsof chickseach summer.
Found throughout southernOntario,BarnSwallowsandcan rangeas farnorthasHudsonBay,wherever suitable
locations fornestsexist. Theywill oftenbe spottedcruising low, flying justa few inchesabove thegroundorwater.
Theymakesharp turns, swoopingeffortlessly tocatch fliesandother insects.When feeding theiryoung,BarnSwal-
lows fly frombeforedawn toafter sunset, takingonlybrief rests.
Thisbird’snestsareoftendestroyedwhenoldbuildings in rural areasaredemolishedor fall down. Inaddition, as
farmsmodernize, many oldbarns that offered easy access are being replacedby largemetal shedswith tight-
fittingdoors and nowindows.Massive pesticide sprayingof fields can also reduce the insect population barns
swallowsneed for food.
BarnSwallowsmake the long flight toCentral andSouthAmericaeach fall, and like the legendaryCliff Swallows
ofCapistrano, BarnSwallows tend to return to the samenestingareaeach spring.
Because thesebirdseat somany insects, theyareverynice tohavenear your home.
Thereare severalwaysyoucanattract thesewonderful birds.Oneeasyway is to
keep thebirds comingback. If youare luckyenough tohaveanest near your
home, leave it there.Donot be tempted toknock thenest downafter themating
season isover.Also, it is important to remember not to startleor scare thebirds
if youwish them to stay. Barn swallowsareattracted toaparticulararea
becauseof easyaccess to insectsandwater. If youusechemicalson
your lawnorproperty, your chances forattracting thesebirdswill
decrease.Also, keeppredatorsaway from thearea. If youhavecats
roamingnearby, thebarn swallowmight finda saferarea.
Youcanalso install shelvingor nesting ledges toareaswhereyou
want thesebirds tonest. Just remember that these
birdsdo leavedroppingsunder their nest.
Youcan leaveplastic sheetingor
newspapersunder thenest tohelp
with thecleanup. Take that into
considerationbeforeattracting
thesebirds toyour home.
|E|
FEATURE
|
we’re in trouble, please help us
What todo?
Minimizeeffectson
barnswallows.
• If youhavebuildingssuchasashedorbarn
onyourpropertywhereBarnSwallowscouldnest,
youcanencourage thembycreatinganopeningor
leavingaway for them toenter thebuilding
•Createadditional habitat for thebird(s) if the
existingstructure isdestroyedorno longer
suitable for thebird(s).
threatened
