Barn Swallow Photo Gallery

Adult (American)

Sparrow-sized swallow with broad shoulders that taper to long, pointed wings. Adult males have a steely blue back, wings, and tail, and tawny underparts. The throat and forehead is rusty.

Adult (American)

Adults are brightly marked in deep blue, rusty, and cinnamon. Note long forked tail.

Adult

Upperparts are usually steely blue, but color changes with angle of light. Note long wings. At some times of year, some individuals lack the long tail streamers.

Adult (White-bellied)

European birds have a whitish belly and a thick blue band across the chest.

Adult (White-bellied)

Adults (American)

Both males and females help build the nest, using pellets of mud combined with dry grasses.

Adult (Buff-bellied)

Adult (Tytler's)

Adults (American)

Often forages in flocks, fairly low to the ground. Flight is very light and agile, with quick turns and little gliding.

Adult (Levant)

Adult (American)

Slender-bodied with a long, deeply forked tail. From below, the underparts vary from pale cinnamon or tawny to bright cinnamon.

Juveniles

Nests are made of mud and grass and usually placed under eaves, barn rafter, bridges, and culverts.

Adult (American)

Flies with fluid wingbeats making quick turns and dives; rarely glides. Tail is long and deeply forked with a white band across it.

Adult (White-bellied)

Juvenile (American)

Juveniles are dark above and pale cinnamon below with rich rusty throat and forehead. Their tail is also shorter without the deep fork.

Immature (Egyptian)

Immature (Levant)

Juvenile (White-bellied)

Juveniles in Europe have a white belly and tawny throat. The tail is also shorter without the deep fork.

Juvenile (American)

Adult (American)

Long and slender with a deeply forked tail. The color of the underparts varies from buffy to rich cinnamon with the females typically having the paler underparts.

Adult (American)

Collects mud in bill to build a mud and grass nest—often tucked under the eaves of barns and stables, on structures near playing fields, or under bridges.