Barn Swallow

I’ve always had a “thing” for Barn Swallows.  I’m sure it goes back to my childhood on the family farm in Montana where they nested in huge numbers on and in all of the many old barns, granaries and outbuildings.  As a kid I spent many hours watching their graceful flight with their long forked tail and pointed wings being quite distinctive.

Another thing (besides the fond memories) that I’m indebted to them for is that the species indirectly led to the beginning of the conservation movement in the United States.  The destruction of Barn Swallows for the millinery trade (those long tail feathers were apparently considered very attractive on the hat of a lady) during the 1800’s led to George Bird Grinnell’s article in Forest and Stream in 1886 that prompted the founding of the first Audubon Society.  Hooray for Barn Swallows !

I think the way they’ve adapted to man is fascinating.  They’re now the most abundant and widely distributed swallow in the world and originally they nested almost exclusively in caves but with the advent of human structures that has changed dramatically.  They have almost completely converted to nesting in or on man-made structures like bridges, culverts and the eaves of buildings.  In fact, in modern times any Barn Swallows found nesting on natural sites create quite a stir among birders and are often reported with much interest.

1/640, f/8, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light

But I must admit that I also enjoy them in natural settings.  I found this bird at Bear River MBR where it and its buddies were nesting under a small bridge but they’d often land on the nearby reeds.  I like the pose, the arc of the looping perch and the fact that the background is out of focus enough to isolate the bird pretty well – something that hasn’t been easy for me with these birds in the reeds.

Ron

Note: Because of other commitments I may not be able to respond much to comments for a couple of days.  I’ll be seeing them on my phone but I’m “all thumbs” on that darn thing and I really can’t type on it.  I do have a couple of posts scheduled during that time.