Barn Swallow

Ever wondered to yourself, what do Barn Swallows eat? Want to know how to get rid of Barn Swallows? Read on to learn some interesting Barn Swallow facts. The Barn Swallow’s latin name is Hirundo rustica. It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Their preferred habitat is fields, marshes, plains, and large yards. The Barn Swallow bird breeds in the spring. A female lays 3-8 Barn Swallow eggs that are spotted with reddish brown about 1-3 days after the Barn Swallow nest is completed. The eggs are incubated for 14-16 days, at which time a baby Barn Swallow is born. The young will leave the nest in 18-23 days.

Barn Swallow migration occurs from North American breeding grounds to wintering areas in Central and South America. Their population is decreasing. The Barn Swallow can be found in Tennessee from late March to early October. The Barn Swallow sound for both males and females is 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. Their diet consists of flies, beetles, bees, wasps, moths, butterflies, and other flying insects. The most proactive way to scare away Barn Swallows is prevention. Rather than scaring them away when they arrive, liquid bird repellent sprays stop Barn Swallows from ever arriving. Simply by irritating a bird’s sense of taste and smell, a repellent can drive swallows away from your property.