Barn SwallowLatin name: Hirundo rusticaFrench name: Hirondelle rustiqueSpanish name: Golondrina Común

Barn Swallows settle into breeding areas in April and May, seeking open areas like grasslands, farms and marshes. Males set up territories near structures, often associ-ated with human dwellings, like barns and outbuildings. Cup-shaped nests are made of mud pellets and lined with feathers for 3-7 white eggs. Females incubate for 2 weeks, and both parents feed the young for another 3 weeks.

BREEDING

Adult Barn Swallows leave the breeding area shortly after their young fledge the nest. By August, large flocks of swal-lows gather on power lines, in fields and wetlands, foraging and preparing for the journey back to their wintering grounds.

FALL MIGRATION

Barn Swallows spend the non-breeding season in Central and South America, where the tropical climate supports an abundant supply of food.

WINTER

Barn Swallows are neotropical migrants, travelling long distances to breeding areas in North America. They migrate during the day, moving north as spring’s warmer weather makes flying insects, like blackflies, midges and mosquitoes, available along the journey.

SPRING MIGRATION

Photo: M

ark Peck

DESCRIPTIONBarn Swallows are a widespread and familiar species in the Swallow family. They are aerial insectivores, and have fast, agile flight to feed on flying insects.

17-19

cm

Weight: 16-22 g

CONSERVATION STATUS:Worldwide Assessment (Global IUCN): Least ConcernIn Canada (COSEWIC): ThreatenedPopulation trend: Large Decrease (-3.7 % /year)

CLASSIFICATIONKingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata

Class: AvesOrder: Passeriformes (Perching birds)

Family: Hirundinidae (Swallows)Genus: HirundoSpecies: rustica

Glossy dark blue back-side

Rufous forehead, chin & throat

Forked tail

BARN SWALLOW ECOLOGY PROJECT: Scientists are exploring what factors may be impacting Barn Swallows between the breeding stage and fall migration..

SCIENCE GOALS: � Observe the regional post-breeding movements and survival of juvenile Barn Swallows.

� Determine the locations and dates that individual Barn Swallows start fall migration.

� Identifying important stopover locations and length of stay during migration.

CONSERVATION: Globally, Barn Swallows are listed as a species of Least Concern. However, populations in Canada have continuously declined for nearly 40 years, and Barn Swallows are listed as a Threatened species by the Committee of the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. The causes of this trend are not well understood, but as long-distant, neotropical migrants, these birds rely on many locations, and safe and healthy habitats to support different stages of their annual cycle. Key conservation concerns include:

� Habitat availability � Changing climate & seasonal shifts result in mis-matched timing of food availability � Decline in food source linked to pesticides

METHODS: Adult and juvenile Barn Swallows are tagged at their nesting site, usually within barns or outbuildings (A). Mist nests are set up inside the barn or at an entrance where birds move in and out with food for the young chicks (B, above). An aluminum band is attached to the birds leg (C), and information about its age, sex, fat, wing length and weight are recorded (D). A nanotag with a loop harness is wrapped on the birds legs and sits at the base of the bird like a backpack (E). The birds are released, and the tags will continue to emit a unique signal that can be detected by the Motus receivers for up to three months.

Nanotags have been released on more than 250 Barn Swallows since 2016 in southwestern Ontario, and in Atlantic Canada. Detections of these tags indicate the date and location of the individual bird as it moves across the landscape. VIDEO: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUCuHEu730s

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Project photos: Miriam Bauman (A,C), Christian Artuso (B),

Megan Wilcox (D), Liza Barney (E)

Adapted from Motus Wildlife Tracking System Projects: Barn Swallows Cambridge and Toronto Zoo (#207: https://motus.org/data/project?id=207)

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BARN SWALLOW

DATE LATITUDE LONGITUDE ALPHA- NUMERIC

NEAREST REFERENCE

LENGTH OF STAY

July 31, 2018 43.44 -80.64 I-9 Kitchener, ON, CAN 27d 5h 3m 46s

August 28, 2018 42.62 80.72 I-9 Woodstock, ON, CAN 0d 0h 3m 21s

August 28, 2018 43.06 -80.75 I-9 Port Burwell, ON, CAN 0d 0h 10m 28s

September 2, 2018 30.09 -84.16 I-12 Tallahassee, FL, USA 0d 0h 21m 45s

Sept 13, 2018 8.64 -77.35 I-16 Panama City, Panama 0d 0h 4m 36s

July 25, 2018 46.12 -64.24 J-8 Shemogue, NB, CAN 23d 23h 0m

August 24, 2018 46.18 -64.12 J-8 Johnston’s Point, NB, CAN 1d h 32m

August 25, 2018 45.9407 -64.2575 J-8 Jolicure, NB, CAN 0d 0h 8m

August 26, 2018 45.1257 -67.2661 J-8 Upper Mills, ME, USA 0d 0h 9m

August 27, 2018 3.3351 -70.5492 J-9 Wells, ME, USA 0d 0h 7m

August 27, 2018 42.7804 -70.8084 J-9 Plum Island, MA, USA 0d 4h 56m

August 31, 2018 39.058 -74.7748 I-10 Cape May, NJ, USA 0d 20h 55m

September 4, 2018 31.8406 -81.0883 I-11 Savannah, GA, USA 0d 0h 4m

September 5, 2018 30.4313 -81.4108 I-12 Jacksonville, FL, USA unknown

PROJECT DATAThe following individual Barn Swallows represent a subset of the population’s movements across the landscape. Explore the post-breeding and migration movements on the provided base map using the following guidelines:

1. Label the bird species in the top right corner of the map page.2. Use the detection data in the table below to plot the locations on the map. 3. Connect the dots and label each track with the tag identification number. 4. Draw arrowheads on the tracks to point in the direction of bird movement.5. Label the track dates on the first detection location and the last detection location.6. Circle the location where the bird stopped for the longest time. Label its length of stay.7. Using the scale on the map and a ruler, measure and label the total flight track distance

from its wintering to breeding location.8. Choose two detections, and calculate the flight speed between locations (distance/time as

km/hr). Label this on the map sites. 9. Build a legend in the bottom left corner of the map. Use a different color to label each

stage: Breeding, Migration, and Wintering10. Fill in the Breeding range and the Wintering range of the map, using the legend colors.

Trace the flight tracks with the color for Migration.11. Circle the country names of which this bird was detected in.12. Draw a big star on your location. Which range for this species are you located?

CHECK YOUR MIGRATION TRACK HERE: motus.org/data/demo/educationBARS.html Compare these tracks with the eBird abundance map animation: ebird.org/science/status-and-trends/barswa/abundance-map-weekly

Table LegendBARS 18240 BARS 18526

BARN SWALLOW

You will need:

A. attached base map (latitude/longitude OR

alphanumeric)B. 3 colours (highlighters or

pencil crayons)C. pencil or pen

D. rulerE. calculator

Use the guided discussion boxes below to analyze the project results from this Case Study. The attached Resource page offers further information to support your inquiry. Present and discuss as a class, or compare results with other Case Study species.

DISCUSSION

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Populations: What is the population trend and status for Barn Swallows?

Migration Ecology: What habitat and food resources make a good stopover site for this species?

Threat Assessment: Identify a threat that might impact survival or success at each stage: Breeding; Migration; Wintering

Conservation: How can human-related threats be reduced or mitigated?

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Ecological Connections: Design a food web model to display connections of Barn Swallows to their ecological community.

Bird Art: Sketch or model a Barn Swallow using pencil; paints; clay; or using computer graphics (using software such as Adobe Illustrator).

Bird Inquiry: Investigate a human-related threat to Barn Swallows, and present information in a creative communication (infographic, popular news article, skit, memes, comic, graphic, brochure, powerpoint presentation, poem, short story, game, quiz, appeal letter, blogpost etc.).

Connecting Communities through birds: Connect with another school that shares the wintering, migratory or breeding range of this species. You could write a letter to inform the school of the bird, exchange posts on social media, or arrange a classroom-to-classroom video chat.

Career Connections: Write a professional profile for one of the personnel on the project research team. Find this information on the Motus website project pages in Case Study. Consider reaching out for an interview about their career path, organization or research.

Citizen Science: Participate in Citizen Science to learn more about birds in your area and contribute observations for science and conservation. Try Project FeederWatch, Project NestWatch (Canada), NestWatch (US), Great Backyard Bird Count, and eBird.

Stewardship & Conservation: Initiate or participate in a stewardship activity that helps reduce or mitigate impacts of threats to birds in your community.

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LIFE HISTORY• All About Birds: Barn Swallow https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barn_Swallow/• Audubon: Barn Swallow https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/barn-swallow• 9 Cool Facts about Barn Swallows: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-barn-swallow-wildlife-facts-1.3637139

CONSERVATION AND POPULATION STATUS• COSEWIC Assessment and Status of birds in Canada (2011) https://wildlife-species.canada.ca/bird-status/oiseau-bird-eng.aspx?sY=2014&sL=e&sM=a&sB=BARS• COSEWIC Status Report: https://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/virtual_sara/files/cosewic/sr_barn_swallow_0911_eng.pdf• IUCN Red List: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22712252/87461332• BirdLife Data Zone: http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/barn-swallow-hirundo-rustica• State of Canada’s Birds Report (pg 9): http://nabci.net/resources/state-of-canadas-birds-2019/

NATURAL AND HUMAN-RELATED THREATS• Wildlife Preservation Canada: https://wildlifepreservation.ca/fr/maritime-swallows/• A Synthesis of Human-related Avian Mortality in Canada: https://www.ace-eco.org/vol8/iss2/art11/

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY• Individual condition, but not fledging phenology, carries over to affect post‐fledging survival in a Neotropical migratory songbird https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ibi.12727• Declines of Aerial Insectivores in North America Follow a Geographic Gradient http://www.ace-eco.org/vol5/iss2/art1/

IN THE NEWS• Inside Ontario’s fight to save declining barn swallows, one birdhouse at a time https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/barn-swallows-decline-1.4190126?platform=hootsuite• Barn swallow haven reveals a treasure trove of bird data https://www.therecord.com/news-story/7509873-barn-swallow-haven-reveals-a-treasure-trove-of-bird-data/

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Y Aerial Insectivore An animal (bird, bat, insect) that feeds on insects while in flight

Alternate plumage The feather molt of birds during non-breeding periods

Altricial young Birds born naked, blind and dependent on parental care (Ex. most songbirds)

Aves The class of animals known as “birds”

Biodiversity ‘Bio’ means Life; ‘Diversity’ means variety; the variety of life forms

Bird Banding A technique used to study and track individual birds by attaching a numbered metal band to the leg and releasing it back into the wild

Breeding To mate and produce offspring

Breeding Behavior Behavior exhibited to attract a mate (bright plumage, singing, drumming, dancing)

Breeding Plumage The feather molt used during the breeding season (males are usually more colorful)

Brood The number of birds hatched from a single clutch of eggs

Brood Patch The patch of featherless skin on underside of birds for incubation during nesting

Call Short and simple bird sounds. Communicate location, hunger, danger

Camouflage The coloration of an organism that matches its environment to conceal itself

Climate Change A change in regional or global climate patterns

Clutch The number of eggs a female lays in a single nesting attempt

Conservation The preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and the natural environment and of wildlife

Copulation The mating process which fertilizes the egg to initiate development of embryo

Courtship Displays or rituals performed to attract a mate

COSEWIC Committee of the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (www.cosewic.ca)

Diurnal Birds that are active during the day and sleep at night

eBird A global Citizen Science database of bird observations (www.ebird.org)

Ecosystem Combination of all living and non-living things that interact in an environment

Egg The hard-shelled structure laid by birds containing embryo, yolk, and white

Endangered A species that is in danger of becoming extinct

Environment An area characterised by conditions in the climate, soil, terrain, and living organisms

Extinction A species that is no longer living on Earth

Field Marks Visible characteristics of a bird (color, wing bars, bill shape)

Feathers External, ‘feathered’ projections of the skin unique to birds. Aid in flight, insulation, waterproofing, camouflage and courtship.

Fledge When young birds leave the nest

Flyway Flight route used by migratory birds between their wintering and breeding locations

Food Chain Direct links of energy transfer between organisms

Food Web The combined interactions between different species in an ecological community

Habitat A place where an animal makes its home and meets all of its needs for survival (food, water, shelter, and space)

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Y Hatch Process of baby bird breaking out of an egg

Herbivores Primary consumers; organisms that eat plants (primary producers)

Incubation The process of keeping eggs warm (or cool) to maintain temperature for development

Invasive Species A plant or an animal that is non-native to the environment and is having a negative impact on the dynamics of the natural community

IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature; global authority on the status of natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it (www.iucn.org)

Juvenile A young bird that has fledged the nest and is independent of parental care

Migration Movement of a species from one place to another; usually for breeding, foraging, and survival needs

Molt The process of losing and replacing feathers for breeding and migration.

Motus WTS Motus Wildlife Tracking System, a large-scale network of automated radio telemetry receivers to track small animals across the landscape

Nanotag Small radio transmitters that emit a unique signal (frequency). Affixed to small animals (birds, bats, insects) to determine location and date/time when detected by a receiver

Neotropical Migrant

A long-distant migrating bird that winters in the tropics and breeds north of 23 °N.

Nest Shelter prepared by birds for laying eggs and raising young

Nocturnal Birds that are active at night and sleep during the day

Ornithology The scientific study of birds

Plumage The colour and colour patterns of feathers

Population The number of individuals of a particular species in a defined area

Precocial young Birds born fully feathered, mobile, and active (Ex. ducks, geese, shorebirds)

Preen To clean and position feathers with a beak

Roost A place for temporary rest or sleep

Scrape A shallow depression used by ground birds as a nest (Ex. Killdeer)

Songs Loud vocalizations used to attract mates or as territorial defense

Species Individuals of the same organism that can breed and produce fertile offspring under natural conditions

Stewardship Responsible activities to protect and enhance the environment

Stopover A brief stay during the course of a migration to rest and build energy reserves

Taxonomy The classification of organisms to assign names and relationshipsKingdom; Phylum; Class; Order; Family; Genus; Species

Threatened A species at risk of becoming endangered

Wintering To spend the winter; often the non-breeding stage

BARN SWALLOW

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HaitiJamaica

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BelizeHonduras

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MontréalQuébec

MoosoneeEdmonton

Whitehorse Yellowknife

Iqaluit

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Panama City

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Park Reserve

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