Hirundo rustica
Farms, bridges, and open country in summer across most of the continent. No useful track.
What does a barn swallow look like?
Blue above, orange below, with a long forked tail.
What do barn swallow tracks look like?
Swallows do not leave a useful ground trail. The mud nest and the forked tail are the signs.
- No useful track
- Mud cup nest on a beam or under a bridge
- Deeply forked tail if seen
- Blue back, orange throat
- Whitewash under the nest
What does barn swallow poop look like?
Whitewash on the wall and floor under a nest. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Farms, bridges, and open country in summer across most of the continent. Typical places: field, yard. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not approach a nest
- If a bird is injured, call a local wildlife rehabilitator
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Tree swallow identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
What does a barn swallow nest look like?
A mud cup stuck to a beam, porch, or bridge, often with whitewash below.
How to tell a barn swallow from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Tree swallow. No ground trail. Shiny blue-green back and a clean white belly.
Barn swallow field marks
- No useful track
- Mud cup nest on a beam or under a bridge
- Deeply forked tail if seen
- Blue back, orange throat
Where the sign shows up
Farms, bridges, and open country in summer across most of the continent. Typical places: field, yard. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
Swallows do not leave a useful ground trail. The mud nest and the forked tail are the signs. Whitewash on the wall and floor under a nest.
Common questions
What does a barn swallow nest look like?
A mud cup stuck to a beam, porch, or bridge, often with whitewash below.