Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
The Barn Swallow is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. In Europe it is called simply “Swallow”. Most scientists believe these birds evolved nesting primarily in caves, but very few populations continue to do so. Now nearly all nesting takes place on man-made structures.
World-wide there are six recognized subspecies of Barn Swallow. The American subspecies is Hirundo rustica erythrogaster. Our swallow winters from Central America and south to northern Chile and Argentina, but when spring approaches these birds fly north to breed from Mexico to Canada and southern Alaska. There are no states in the USA where Barn Swallows don’t show up to make their summer homes. Look for them sailing low over open water or grassy fields intercepting their winged prey. Often two broods are raise in a season, so it is imperative that a good parent capture many insects to feed their hungry chicks.

Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Bicknell Bottoms south of Bicknell, Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:08 11:58 |
Location:
Bicknell Bottoms |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X0049-BarnSwallow |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Bicknell Bottoms south of Bicknell, Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:07 15:35 |
Location:
Bicknell Bottoms |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X9897-BarnSwallow |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Juvenile. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:29 13:18 |
Location:
Saltworks |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD4516.BarnSwallow.Juvenile |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 10:47 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X7350-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 10:47 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X7353-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:23 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3369-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:21 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3338-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:19 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3287-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:09 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3215-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:09 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3212-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:08 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3208-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:08 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3206-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 10:49 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3013-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 10:47 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X7346-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 10:47 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X7397-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:17 7:08 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X5235-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is on the California-Oregon border and encompases a large wetlands with an Auto Tour road for the curious. It is better known for its winter visitors than for its summer ones. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:18 10:14 |
Location:
Lower Klamath NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/14.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X5085-LowerKlamathNWR |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:23 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3367-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:21 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3319-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:05 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3165-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 11:18 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3279-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: I didn't find the Roosevelt Elk herd at Elk Meadows (near Orick, California) this day, but the Barn Swallows feeding their hungry fledglings were sufficient to capture my attention. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:12 10:55 |
Location:
Berry Glenn |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/18.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3088-ElkMeadows |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Bicknell Bottoms along the Fremont River in South Central Utah. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:14 9:11 |
Location:
Bicknell Bottoms |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3278-BicknellBottoms |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Bicknell Bottoms along the Fremont River in South Central Utah. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:14 9:10 |
Location:
Bicknell Bottoms |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X3275-BicknellBottoms |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 10:45 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X7259-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 10:13 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X6754-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 10:14 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X6776-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Malheur NWR is in southeastern Oregon, west of Steens Mountains and south of Burns Oregon. Harney County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:30 6:39 |
Location:
Visitor Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: SpottedSandpiper-BarnSwallow_D5X8143-MalheurNWR |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 10:47 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D5X7393-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: A few miles east of Roswell New Mexico, along the Pecos River, is Bitter Lake NWR, where these Barn Swallows found suitable nesting ledges at the Visitor Center. |
Date Taken: 2020:05:11 13:10 |
Location:
Bitter Lake NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 |
File Name: BarnSwallow_D506207-BitterLake-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Location is the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, south of Klamath Falls Oregon in California. |
Date Taken: 2016:05:05 10:51 |
Location:
Lower Klamath NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D720368-BarnSwallow |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Juvenile. Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:02:20 22:59 |
Location:
Saltworks |
Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A3F07b32.BarnSwallow |
© 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) |
Description: Gathering at the creshe bush at the Saltworks. Part of the South San Diego Bay NWR, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:07:27 12:11 |
Location:
Saltworks |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD1591-BarnSwallow |
© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

Click map markers to reveal further information