Barn Swallows

 "One swallow does not make a summer, nor does one fine day." 

Aristotle

We were happy to finally see the swallows arrive at the barn this week-- it seemed like they were later than usual.  Swallows make an epic spring migration from South America and can fly 600 miles day, fueling up on insects along the way.  Barn swallows are one of the most thoroughly researched birds in the western hemisphere. No wonder-- their range is everywhere except Florida and a tiny snip of southern desert. Who can explain that?

They return to the same places each spring.  When swallows reuse a nest from the previous year, they check it over for parasites, toss out the old feathers, and add new mud. Refurbishing takes about 5 days, and building from scratch, about 11 days.

I'm glad our sweet barn guys don't have the time or inclination to knock down the nests in the rafters, as they do in more fastidious horsey places. The old nests are waiting for the return all winter.  Only the year-round house sparrows are not happy to see swallows take over the barn again. There's a lot of noisy fuss until everyone gets settled in.

Swallow babies turn around and poop over the edge of the nest after eating, which seems to give everyone a better turn at being fed. And why swallows tend to be unpopular nesting over the stalls! But what's a little more manure in a barn, when such a lovely and useful creature has made the long trip home?