Thursday Birdblogging

Don't you love barnswallows?

We probably all have some local bridges or even barns that house nests of these lovely birds. I see them quite a bit.

from our friends at Cornell:
Cool Facts

* The Barn Swallow is the most abundant and widely distributed swallow species in the world. It breeds throughout the northern hemisphere and winters in much of the southern hemisphere.

* The long tail of a Barn Swallow may indicate the quality of the individual bird. Females prefer to mate with males that have the longest and most symmetrical tails.

* An unmated male Barn Swallow may kill the nestlings of a nesting pair. His actions often succeed in breaking up the pair and afford him the opportunity to mate with the female.

* Female Barn Swallows favor males that have a darker reddish chest color.

and thanks for the picture from NATURE WORKS