BARN SWALLOW

Photographed in Broome, September 2016

805              BARN SWALLOW             Hirundo rustica     

Australia         (649)

Also known as Common or European Swallow. 16-17 cm. Found above open country; agricultural land, especially near water; railcards, towns, overhead wires. Widespread in Northern Hemisphere, ‘winters’ in s hemisphere.East Asian race gutturalise regular non-breeding summer migrant to Philippines, Indonesia, PNG, and n. Aust, mostly Sept-March. Now seen regularly, annually from Kimberley (WA) to ne. and se. Q; vagrant to e. NSW, c SA, n. Vic.

BARN SWALLOW

Photographed in Nepal.

647           BARN SWALLOW               Hirundo rustica

Nepal        (18)

The most widespread species of swallow in the world. Ranges across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. There are six subspecies of Barn Swallow, which breed in the northern hemisphere. Four of these species migrate heavily wintering in much of the southern hemisphere, including as far south as central Argentina, the Cape Province in South Africa and northern Australia. A bird of open country but uses man-made structures to breed in. National bird of Austria and Estonia. 17-19 cm.