The city swallow is a small one migrant from the swallow family. The body length of an adult is 14-17 centimeters, weight up to 20 grams. Swallow's head, the wings, back and partly the tail are covered with black or bluish plumage, the rest of the body is white. This coloring gives the impression of a “tailcoat”. The tail has a triangular end.

The funnel, or city swallow, is in the air almost all the time. These birds are so skilled in flight that they can even drink water on the fly, not to mention hunting. On the ground, they are quite clumsy; they have short and weak legs, not adapted for walking. Basically, legs are needed for sitting, securing to walls, branches or nests. One of the main differences between the funnel swallow and the common swallow is that the city swallows' legs are completely covered with white plumage.

The Funnel Swallow can easily be confused with the Barn Swallow. The slight difference between these two birds is that barn swallows are slightly larger in size and have a white rump in flight.

Martin– migratory bird. Swallows come to us in early spring, when the trees are already green. They settle near human dwellings, and upon returning in the spring they happily populate last year’s nests. Nests are made on the exterior of brick or stone buildings, unlike barn swallows, which prefer interior ones. Swallows' nests are hemispherical in shape, completely closed, with the exception of a hole at the top that serves as an entrance. City swallows build their nests from young greenery, twigs and pieces of clay soil. The dimensions of the finished nest are about 10 centimeters in height and 13 centimeters in diameter. Funnelfish feed on flying insects, mainly catch prey at an altitude of 10-20 meters, and in the evening they descend a little lower.

Typically, pairs formed between female and male swallows remain throughout life, but there are cases of mating between members of different pairs. Several families of swallows often place their nests nearby, adjacent to each other. A clutch of city swallows has four to six white eggs. Swallow chick is born completely helpless, naked and blind, but after three weeks the chicks already grow feathers, gain sight and begin their lives. But at the same time, they remain near the nest for some time, as the adults continue to feed them. By autumn, swallows form a camp and fly away to warmer climes.

Where do swallows winter?

City swallowshave in South Africa and Asia, but in the spring they invariably return to their native places, to old nests. Until now, people believe that swallows’ nests should not be destroyed, because a misfortune will definitely happen to those who do this. In general, there are many signs and superstitions associated with swallows. For example, it is believed that if a swallow flies low, it means rain. And this is absolutely true, since swallows fly with an open beak, catching with it other flying insects that they feed on. Before the rain, the atmospheric pressure decreases, as a result of which insects begin to fly lower, and, accordingly, birds such as barn swallows descend lower in search of food.

Swallows are small birds belonging to the family of the same name in the order Passeriformes. They differ from other passerine birds by their long wings and tails, which makes them look like swifts. At the same time, they are not related to the latter, despite their external resemblance. There are 79 species of swallows in the world.

Thread-tailed swallow (Hirundo smithii).

The body length of different species varies from 6 to 23 cm, and weight - from 10 to 60 g. The appearance of these birds indicates their adaptability to rapid flight: the wings are narrow and long, the body is streamlined, the tail is usually also long and carved in the shape of a fork. The beak is short, triangular, with a very wide cut. The legs are short and weak, so much so that some species cannot stand on a horizontal surface at all. But thanks to their tenacious claws, swallows can cling to walls and steep cliffs. The plumage fits tightly to the body. Despite the difference in color, a general trend can be traced: the upper body of swallows is most often dark, often with a blue tint, and the underside is light (white, ocher).

The scissor-tailed swallow (Psalidoprocne obscura) has an uncharacteristically sombre coloration.

Swallows spend a lot of energy getting food, so they need a lot of it. For this reason, they are found mainly in southern countries and are practically absent in the polar regions and in the north of the temperate zone. The greatest species diversity is observed in Africa, but swallows are also found on all other continents. Species living in the tropics are sedentary, while species in the temperate zone are migratory. These birds arrive at their nesting sites late - at the end of April-beginning of May, and fly away to warmer climes already in August-beginning of September.

The spotted-breasted swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) also lives in Africa.

In general, they spend a significant part of their time in flight. On the fly, they feed and even drink water, skimming over the surface of the reservoir. To rest, swallows usually perch on thin branches or wires. These are flocking birds, so they settle in large colonies numbering several hundred nesting sites. Swallow nests represent a rare example of architecture for birds. They resemble neat baskets, stuck to a vertical surface from both the side and the top. Birds use moist soil mixed with saliva to create a nest.

The city swallow (Delichon urbicum) collects material for a nest.

When hardened, this mixture turns into a hard and durable material. Due to the specific nature of nesting in natural conditions, these birds settle on steep cliffs and in caves. However, now barn and city swallows have begun to use all kinds of buildings for their needs, so they are almost never found in natural landscapes. The habits of shore swallows have remained unchanged. This species nests on cliffs with soft clay or sandy soil. It is impossible to attach a basket-nest to such a substrate, so shore swallows dig holes in soft soil.

Colony of shore swallows (Riparia riparia) on a cliff.

These birds are very friendly in nature. If some pair managed to find a convenient place for nesting, then the rest try to attach their nests closer to the “pioneers”, literally wall to wall.

In this company of white-fronted swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), the individual skill of each builder is visible: some made a nest with a narrow entrance, some with a wide one, and some even had an open basket.

During feeding, swallows behave rather crowdedly, calling to each other with shrill squeaks. They also prefer to relax together, simultaneously sitting on the wires as a whole flock and emitting a melodic chirp. The feeling of a brotherly shoulder only intensifies during trials. Thus, when attacked by a predator, swallows fly around the enemy with piercing cries, trying to confuse him. There are cases when these tiny birds managed to drive away even a fox through their joint efforts.

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) huddle together for warmth during a sudden snowfall in Canada.

Swallows feed exclusively on flying insects. Even in case bad weather they do not replace this type of food with seeds and larvae, which makes them quite vulnerable to starvation. The basis of their diet is mosquitoes, midges, flies, small butterflies, beetles and dragonflies. Due to the fact that birds move quickly and their prey is small, swallows do not chase each victim individually. Simply flying up to the prey, they open their beak wide and the victim, with the flow of wind, falls into the throat. Before rain, humidity in the air increases, and this makes it difficult for insects to fly, so they fall closer to the ground. Following them, swallows begin to fly low over the grass. This behavioral feature has long been used to predict the weather.

Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) in flight.

Swallows are monogamous birds; partners remain faithful to each other for one season. In the northern regions, these birds nest once a year, in the southern regions they manage to make 2 clutches. They line their nests with down, feathers and soft blades of grass. They lay 3 to 6 eggs. The female incubates them for 12-14 days, and the male provides her with food. Since the food sources of these birds are unreliable, in bad weather the incubation time can be delayed up to 18-22 days. The chicks hatch naked and helpless. They spend 3 weeks in the nest. All this time, both parents feed them, and due to the small size of the insects, they are forced to fly up to the nest with food up to 600 times a day. Young birds fly away with adults for the winter in Africa, India, Indochina, South America(populations of different species).

Chicks of the Purple Wood Swallow (Progne subis).

In nature, the enemies of these birds are cats and falcons, and shore swallows can be threatened by any land predators that can dig up nests. Population numbers can be affected by sudden cold spells and prolonged rains.

The violet-green American swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) is one of the most brightly colored species.

However, in general, swallows are quite numerous and tolerate anthropogenic pressure well (city and village swallows almost always live in populated areas). These birds benefit humans by destroying small insects that other birds do not hunt - mosquitoes and flies.

Swallows' nest in a rustic barn.

City swallow, or funnels(obsolete) - Delichon urbica

Appearance. The dorsal side is blue-black, the belly and rump are pure white, the tail is without “braids”, with a triangular notch at the end.
Voiced “tirch”.
Habitat. It lives in predominantly urban settlements, in the mountains, on rocks. In large cities it usually disappears, remaining only on the outskirts.
Nutrition. Catches small insects, usually high in the air.
Nesting sites. It nests in large populated areas, where it builds nests, usually on stone buildings. It is also found (but less frequently) in smaller settlements.
Nest location. Usually it nests in colonies, attaching nests to stone, less often wooden walls and cornices, placing them close to each other.
Nest building material. Like the barn swallow, it is sculpted from pieces of earth and clay, but with a smaller admixture of blades of grass and straw. The inside is lined with feathers, down and other materials.
Shape and dimensions of the nest. The nest is very characteristically different from the nest of the barn swallow. It is semicircular, closed, with a small side entrance hole. The diameter of the nest is 110-130 mm, the height of the nest is 70-120 mm, the height of the tap hole is about 25 mm.
Features of masonry. Clutch of 4-6 pure white eggs. Egg dimensions: (19-20) x (13-14) mm.
Nesting dates. The breeding time is approximately the same as that of the barn swallow.
Spreading. Distributed almost everywhere south of the tundra, in the rocky mountains of the Caucasus, Altai and Sayan and Chukotka.
Wintering. Winters in Africa. In Central Europe - from late April to September-October.

Description of Buturlin. Funnel is often mixed with killer whale, although it has many very significant differences. These two swallows even belong to different genera. The city swallow's upperparts are also shiny black, but the entire underparts (throat, chest, abdomen) and rump are pure white. The tail is not very long and only slightly cut. All these signs are clearly visible from a distance even in a flying bird. In addition, the city swallow has densely feathered (white) tarsus and fingers that extend very widely, with curved claws, with the help of which this swallow is tenaciously suspended from walls or a nest. The length of the bird is about 14 centimeters. The female is colored the same as the male.
Spreading this bird is as wide as killer whales. This is a common bird in Western Europe. In Russia, it nests in the far north of the European part of the country and throughout Siberia (Murmansk, Pechora, Kolyma delta, Anadyr), in the Crimea, the Caucasus and Central Asia (a special small subspecies). East Siberian swallows, living east of the Yenisei, are also classified as a special subspecies (they have a smoky color on the underside of the body and a dull, non-shiny upper part). Outside of Russia, the funnelfish also lives in Central Asia.
By o lifestyle Barn swallows differ from killer whales in many ways. As their very name indicates, they often nest in cities. Even in such large cities as Moscow or Leningrad, these birds are not uncommon in the summer.
They're arriving They are approximately at the same time as the village ones, but in some years they appear earlier and often die when cold weather returns. In such cases, these swallows suffer even more than killer whales, since they feed mainly high in the air and do not know how (and in large cities they cannot) catch their prey completely close to the ground or grab it from the grass, as killer whales do. Their flight is not so fast and agile. With abrupt “chirps” and cries of “trick-trick...” funnels fly in a whole company over large buildings, often together with swifts.
nesting they are on stone buildings, hanging their semicircular and closed nests fashioned from clay from the eaves of the roofs, strengthening them above the windows, near the columns or among the relief decorations. The walls of the nest contain much less straw or other stems than those of the killer whale, and the inside is also lined with feathers, down and other suitable materials. Often such lining is collected by birds in the air, since they are very reluctant to land on the ground. But they are forced to go down to get clay or mud for the nest and have difficulty taking off due to their short legs. A pair of city swallows takes longer to build their nest than killer whales. Their nest is more massive, has higher edges, a small round entrance, and more material goes into it. Their favorite and usual resting position is hanging from a ledge or vertical wall.
IN natural conditions funnels nest on rocks, along cliffs and gorges (for example, in the Caucasus and other mountains). In some steppe places they hatch chicks in earthen burrows shore swallows .
Testicles The barn swallow is pure white and slightly smaller than the killer whale (about 18 millimeters long). Their number in the first clutch is about 6, but in the second (or belated) clutch it is rarely more than 4. The male feeds the incubating female and protects the nest from the predatory attempts of sparrows. If some feathered predator appears near a colony of swallows, then all its inhabitants rush after it with a loud alarm cry and, swooping around, force it to leave. But hobby falcon rarely flies away without prey in its claws. Fortunately, the feathered enemies of swallows rarely visit cities.
The young in the central regions leave the nests around July. By autumn, birds gather in flocks and in September-October fly off for African and Indian wintering grounds.

Species descriptions taken from Guide to birds and bird nests in central Russia(Bogolyubov A.S., Zhdanova O.V., Kravchenko M.V. Moscow, "Ecosystem", 2006).

See images and descriptions of others natural objects Russia and neighboring countries - minerals and rocks,

We are all pleased to find this bird outside our window, because when the swallows arrive, spring comes. These are migratory birds with long, pointed wings and streamlined bodies. Due to this body shape, their flight is very fast. They are often seen over fields, gardens, lakes, where insects are abundant. They are recognized by their forked tail. There is a legend that says that this bird helped people steal fire from the gods; the angry god threw a burning coal at it, which, hitting the middle of its tail, burned it.

Swallow: description

Swallows have a metallic blue-black color, the chest and belly are light gray, with a rufous mark on the forehead in young animals; in adults, the chest and forehead are white. They have a long forked tail with a row of white spots on individual feathers. The swallow's wings are pointed, have outer tail feathers (streamers), and in males they are slightly shorter than in females.

The size of an adult male is 17-19 cm in length, including a tail of 2-7 cm. The wingspan is 32-34.5 cm, in the air the bird makes 5.3 beats per minute, weight - 16-22 g. If the tail is shorter, This means this is a female swallow. The description of the bird is very similar to the swift, and they are often confused. The head is flattened, with a short beak. Adults shed once a year from about August to March.

This bird has a very wide distribution and can be found all over the world, with the exception of the northern regions. The swallow's flight is not fast, usually the speed is 5-10 km/h at an altitude of 7-9 meters above the ground or water. At the same time, it is very maneuverable, since it needs to catch insects in the air. While flying over water, it can simultaneously swim and dive into the water.

Nutrition

Swallows are insectivorous. In the air during flight, they catch insects with their wide-open beaks. In bad weather, birds may eat some berries, seeds and dead insects. Prolonged precipitation can create problems for foraging, leading to mortality. Flying over water, birds dip their beaks into the water and scoop up moisture for drinking.

Nesting

Spring swallows arrive around April, they build nests from mud and plant fibers on beams, under the roofs of houses or on rock ledges, and cover them inside with straw and down. Existing nests are frequently updated and reused for nearly 50 years. The time from the start of nest construction to the flight of the young is from 44 to 58 days. If built too quickly or because of humidity, nests may collapse or fall.

To build a house, birds collect dirt from the edges of ponds, puddles and ditches; to complete construction they will need to fly from puddle to nest about 1000 times. Mud collecting and nest building are social activities for cliff swallows. Numerous small holes from their beaks remain on the surface of the puddles.

Songs of swallows

The sounds that the bird makes are similar to gurgling and chirping. This is how swallows communicate with each other when they feed their babies, fly up to nests, and when there is danger. The sound produced is low, soft, hoarse, similar to a creaking door.

Reproduction

These birds, as a rule, are monogamous, maintaining connections with one partner. Marriages for one season also occur; in rare cases, a male has two females. Birds often nest in colonies. Typically, a paired swallow aggressively defends a small area around the nest from other individuals. The description of reproduction and development is as follows: