- Male and female look alike, except female tail is slightly shorter.
- How tall? - about 20cm.
- Nests on ledge or rafters in buildings.
- Nest saucer shaped. Made by both birds. Made of mud and dried grass,
lined with feathers.
- Lays eggs - from May to August.
- How many eggs? 3 - 6 eggs.
- Mother incubates eggs (sits on eggs to keep them warm).
- Eggs hatch in 13 to 14 days.
- Baby swallows fed by both parents.
- Babies can fly when they are about 18 to 21 days old.
- Food - flying insects including dragonflies and butterflies.
- There are about 100 species of swallows, including the martins, which
belong to the same family.
- Swallows have long, narrow wings, forked tails, and weak feet.
- They are extremely graceful in flight, making abrupt changes in speed
and direction as they feed on the wing, catching insects in their wide
mouths.
- Their plumage is blue or black with a metallic sheen, generally darker
above than below.
- They nest in flocks in barns, sheds, chimneys, or other secluded
places.
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