The Barn Swallows arrive in the North toward the end of April and leave
early in September. They are sociable birds and travel in huge flocks.
Food: Insects, caught upon the wing, form the diet of those Swallows.
They dart here and there, over field and water, catching their
prey in swift, graceful flight.
Feet: Often, in the season of migration, thousands of Swallows perch
upon telephone wires, sometimes in such large numbers that the
wires are broken. Their small feet are well suited for this, but
not for walking upon the ground.
Tail: The tail of the Barn Swallow is deeply forked. When perched, these
long protruding outer tail feathers serve to distinguish the Barn
Swallow from all other native Swallows.
Song: The gentle twitter of the Barn Swallow is a familiar sound about
many a farm where an old barn or other outbuilding may provide a
nesting site. It is a musical sound that changes to a
"_kit-tic--kit-tic_" when the bird becomes excited.
Nest: The cup-shaped nest of the Barn Swallow is made of mud and is
lined with grass and feathers. It is stuck to the side of a rafter
or beam or against the inside of the weather-boarding of an old
barn where a broken window pane or other hole admits the bird from
the out-of-doors. The eggs are white, speckled with brown and
lavender.
[Illustration: THE TREE SWALLOW
Tree Swallows nest both in hollow trees and in nesting boxes that
man has erected for their use. The upper parts of this bird are of a
blue-green color while the under parts are of a pure white. When
going to the south they collect in huge flocks and, after having
flown high into the air, they begin their journey in the daytime. At
Long Beach, Long Island, thousands of them have been observed
feeding upon the bayberry bushes just before they started south.]
[Illustration: 1. Purple Martin
Shining blue-black; wings and tail duller
2. Eave or Cliff Swallow
Back and crown steel blue, forehead cream white, throat and sides of
the head chestnut, breast brownish gray, under part whitish
3. Sandbank Swallow
Upper parts and band on breast brownish gray, throat and under parts
white
4. Barn Swallow
Under parts dark blue, forehead, throat and breast reddish brown
5. Tree Swallow
Upper parts dark blue or green, throat and under parts white]