The similarly coloured, but stouter Cliff Swallow or the high flying Violet-green and Tree Swallows often occupy similar habitats.
Glistening cobalt blue above and tawny below, Barn Swallows dart gracefully over fields, barnyards, and open water in search of flying insect prey. Accounts pre-dating this time are lacking. Species of swallow that are threatened with extinction are generally endangered due to habitat loss. Barn Swallows prefer various types of open habitats for foraging, including grassy fields, pastures, various kinds of agricultural crops, lake and river shorelines, cleared rights-of-way, cottage areas and farmyards, islands, wetlands, and subarctic tundra. Habitat The barn swallow can be found in farmlands, suburbs, marshes and lakeshores. The first swallows to return are the older males, so while a widower is likely to re-use his old nest, a widow will be more likely to end up using a different one. Habitat of the Swallow. Several species of swallows, swifts and martins can be mistaken for Barn Swallow. These are areas the species depends on for egg laying, incubation, feeding, resting and rearing of young. They live in a wide variety of habitats, including manmade structures and more urban areas. May occur in any kind of open or partly open terrain, especially near water, generally avoiding very dry country and unbroken forest. Both parents build the nest. The person must create a greater amount of Barn Swallow habitat than that which was lost and create that habitat in accordance with subsections (7), (8) and (9) of O. Reg. Bank Swallow – The this species is one of the smallest in the family. The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is slightly larger than the tree swallows reaching lengths of up to around 8 inches long. The term Swallow is used colloquially in Europe as a synonym for the barn swallow.
The clue is in the name, Barn Swallows find barns and other open structures a great place to nest. The size of the colony depends on the size of the structure and the number of entryways. Successful swallow pairs often return to the same nest, though this will depend on whether another couple is present and the condition of the nest itself. Interestingly, these birds have found an easy way to earn a meal. What appears to be “extra space” in large structures may in fact convey thermal protection by providing more stable temperatures; smaller structures generally have increased air flow and cooler temperatures. They range from sea level up to 10,000 feet. Generally compatible: Continuation of existing agricultural practices and planned management activities such as annual harvest, mowing, and cattle grazing. They need mud for nest building.
Barn Swallows forage in open areas throughout most of the continent, including suburban parks and ball fields, agricultural fields, beaches, and over open water such as lakes, ponds and coastal waters.