‘Swallows’ and ‘martins’ (birds) are considered as one large group — the swallow family.  Scientifically there is no difference, but generally, the square-tailed birds of this group are called ‘martins’ and the fork-tailed birds are called ‘swallows’.  ‘Swallow’ is usually the name for the ‘barn swallow’.  In this entry, we discuss only the ‘swallows’!

Special Features:

The ‘barn swallow’ is the national bird of Estonia and Austria, countries in Europe.

Most species of wallow are migratory.

Swallows, like most other insect eaters, catch and eat their prey (= insects they kill and eat) while they fly.  And though they seem to be ‘swallowing’ any insect they catch, some species of these birds are very selective in their choice of insect – some prey on a particular kind of insect and often go for the large-sized ones!

The pointed wings and the forked tail of a swallow, the special trade-marks of most swallows, help them to fly fast and change direction easily in order to catch the zig-zagging insects!

Another interesting feature of the swallow birds is the way they build their nests!  Some ‘bank swallow’ species live in burrows in the sand banks of rivers and lakes, some others, like the tree swallows nest in the tree holes or the abandoned ‘wood-pecker’ birds’ holes, and the barn, cave and cliff swallows build cup-shaped nests with mud pellets made paste-like with their saliva and lined with soft material.

The most surprising thing is that the same pair of swallows uses its cup-shaped mud nest year after year for several years, repairing it from time to time, and the same nest may be used by other pairs, after the original pair dies, for ten or more years – a study revealed that a nest had been used by different pairs for 48 years!!

The ‘barn swallow’ is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, and the European swallow is associated with the spring season so much so that the proverb “One swallow does not make a summer!” is used widely to say that one simple fact cannot prove a whole thing!

Many people love to have the swallow tattoos on their bodies; in olden days, sailors had them tattooed because they believed that they would have safe and fast voyage!

There is type of coat called ‘swallow tail coat’ which is often worn on special days, and mostly, by the stewards and butlers in rich mansions!

Swallows are mentioned in several religious scriptures, such as the Bible, the Koran, etc., and swallows are often found in some popular stories of modern literature, such as the ‘Happy Prince and the other tales’ by Oscar Wilde. And there are several stories and fables of ancient and modern literature and the more recent cartoons and animated movies with the swallows in the lead character!!