Fledgling Swallows

Fledglings are birds that have left the nest but are still being cared for by their parents.  Adults may care for their young for many months after they leave the nest for large birds like eagles and condors, but small birds like these Barn Swallows typically receive only a couple weeks of additional care before they’re on their own.  We found several fledgling Barn Swallows, as well as a few nestlings, in the rafters outside the visitor center in Cherokee, North Carolina.  You don’t have to drive all the way to North Carolina, because they’re a common breeding bird here in the Susquehanna Valley.

Barn Swallows nest across all of the contiguous United States, except for some areas in the Desert Southwest.  They also nest in northern Mexico, southern Canada, and southern Alaska.  Across the Atlantic Ocean, you can find them nesting all across Europe and Asia, from Portugal and the United Kingdom to Japan and northeastern Russia.  During winter, North America’s Barn Swallows fly to southern Mexico, Central America, and all across South America.  Unlike other long distance migrants, some Barn Swallows actually nest again in South America, where their summer coincides with our winter.

Like other swallows, Barn Swallows eat almost nothing but flying insects.  Watch for them over wetlands, ponds, and grassy fields where there are many insects to capture.  They build their nests out of mud and grasses, often in the rafters of barns.  In Europe, they’ve been nesting in human-built structures for more than 2,000 years.