Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
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CC-BY Kostis Tzortzakakis
Looks like
The barn swallow is the most known species of swallow. It has a characteristic long and forked tail. Its back is shiny dark blue, its chest white, and its "face" around the beak is brick red. It has a short and think beak with which it catches insects from the air. Often, many birds can be observed sitting together on a wire and chatting loudly with each other.
Where and when to spot it
It builds its nest from clay and straw, in the form of an open cup. This nest is glued to walls of houses, under roofs and balconies and barns and storage buildings. It is a swift flyer, maneuvering elegantly through the air, even close to the ground, in order to catch insects. It arrives in Europe in early spring and leaves again for Africa in autumn.
