Barn Swallow Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song (American)
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Washington, July 04, 1992Recorded by Dave Herr / Macaulay Library
Song (American)
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New York, June 18, 1987Recorded by Lang Elliott / Macaulay Library
Calls (American)
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Montana, July 29, 2017Recorded by Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library
Calls (American)
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California, April 06, 2016Recorded by Ed Pandolfino / Macaulay Library
Calls (American)
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Alaska, June 18, 2006Recorded by Mike Andersen / Macaulay Library
Calls (American)
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New York, August 03, 2018Recorded by Glen Chapman / Macaulay Library
Calls (American)
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Colorado, May 08, 2011Recorded by Nathan Pieplow
Song (White-bellied)
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Leinster, August 02, 2013Recorded by Gregory Budney / Macaulay Library
Calls (White-bellied)
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Connaught, July 15, 2013Recorded by Gregory Budney / Macaulay Library
Calls (White-bellied)
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Connaught, July 18, 2013Recorded by Gregory Budney / Macaulay Library
Song (Tytler's)
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Buryatia, June 17, 2017Recorded by Bob McGuire / Macaulay Library
Calls (Tytler's)
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Buryatia, June 18, 2017Recorded by Bob McGuire / Macaulay Library
Song (Buff-bellied)
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Primorsky Krai, May 16, 1977Recorded by Boris N. Veprintsev
Calls (Buff-bellied)
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Primorsky Krai, May 16, 1977Recorded by Boris N. Veprintsev

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

Both male and female Barn Swallows sing a “twitter-warble” song during courtship and egg-laying, with a long series of continuous warbling sounds followed by up to a dozen rapid, mechanical-sounding whirrs. The song can last 4–20 seconds and is often introduced and followed by a chirp.

Calls

Barn Swallows give a cheep call when threatened, and when predators approach too close to a nest site, a churee whistle will send adults diving at the threat. In colonies, this call may flush all of the adults from their nests and set them circling above a predator. Males apparently may foil their mate’s attempt to copulate with another male by giving a “fake” alarm call. Both sexes also give an agitated, stuttering call when chasing other Barn Swallows away from nest sites or mates.