Barn Swallows are a common sight across rural parts of the North Hemisphere. Anyone who has watched one of these birds fly knows that they are quite impressive on the wing. Some may wonder if Barn Swallows use their skills to capture food, and if so, what do Barn Swallows eat?
Many people dislike Barn Swallows due to their tendency to build their nests on human-made structures. However, you may change your opinion after reading about what these birds eat.
The diets of all swallows are rather similar. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What do swallows eat?” then this article is for you!
Table of Contents
What Do Barn Swallows Eat?
Barn Swallows are frequently encountered due to their inclination to live near humans in the countryside. However, most people cannot tell you about a Barn Swallow diet. These birds are never seen carrying food, so this begs the question – what do Barn Swallows eat?
Barn Swallows—like their Purple Martin relatives—are insectivorous. These birds consume a diet that strictly consists of insects. They are not picky eaters, and a Barn Swallow diet may consist of dozens of different insect species.
Those interested in broadly knowing about swallow diets who ask, “What do swallow eat?” can be confident that these birds eat a variety of insects.
What Do Baby Swallows Eat?
Okay, we know that adult Barn Swallows eat insects. However, what does a Barn Swallow eat when it can’t get food for itself? What do baby swallows eat?
Well, Barn Swallow chicks consume insects much like adults. A baby Barn Swallow will be helpless when it first hatches from an egg, so it will rely on its parents to provide it with all of the food that it needs.
Adults provide food for a Barn Swallow chick in the form of regurgitated balls of insects. This sustenance provides babies with all of the nutrients and protein that they need to grow into strong immature birds.
How Many Bugs Do Barn Swallows Eat A Day?
Barn Swallows are quite impressive in their ability to consume insects. These aerodynamic creatures are capable of feeding on hundreds of insects every day.
In fact, a single adult can consume nearly 1,000 insects every day. If you factor in the additional insects that adults will need to bring to their offspring, then the number could be even more than 1,000 insects every day.
Therefore, just one family of Barn Swallows around your property could easily consume 5,000 insects daily once the young have fledged. This effort is enough to make anyone appreciate the role that Barn Swallows play in mitigating insect populations.
How Do Barn Swallows Catch Insects?
Barn Swallows are adept at catching insects on the wing thanks to a variety of favorable adaptations. The rudder-like tails of these songbirds allow them to make sharp turns on the wing to capture insects. They also have fairly narrow wings that are perfect for generating short bursts of speed that are needed to close in on their insect prey.
Another adaptation that works in a Barn Swallow’s favor is a large gape. Their big mouths create a sizable area in which an insect can be captured, making it easy for swallows to capture their prey.
Do Barn Swallows Eat Mosquitoes?
We know that Barn Swallows eat plenty of insects every day, but do Barn Swallows eat mosquitoes? Yes, mosquitos are commonly on the menu for Barn Swallows!
Barn Swallows can eat dozens of mosquitoes every day as they’re flying through the air. Unlike birds such as hummingbirds which only consume a few mosquitoes per day, Barn Swallows can eat over 100 mosquitoes per day.
Along with other wildlife like Chimney Swifts and bats, swallows are one of the top mosquito predators. Therefore, if anyone asks you, “Do Barn Swallows eat mosquitos?” then you’ll know what to tell them.
Do Barn Swallows Eat Bees?
Bees are beloved by gardeners across the world, but do swallows eat bees? Although Barn Swallows eat plenty of insects that are considered to be “undesirable”, they also eat some popular insects.
Therefore, creatures like bees and butterflies are frequently consumed as part of a typical Barn Swallow diet. This should come as no surprise, as most aerial insectivores do not discriminate on the insects that they consume. Rather, they simply gobble up any insect within their proximity.
Do Barn Swallows Eat Flies?
Flies are pesky insects that seem to incessantly annoy people whenever they get an opportunity to do so. Fortunately, many birds enjoy eating these creatures, but do Barn Swallows eat flies?
Yes, Barn Swallows do eat flies! In fact, flies are some a staple in a typical Barn Swallow diet, with these birds eating thousands of flies annually.
What Do Barn Swallows Eat In Winter?
If you’ve been following along up to this point, then you’ll know that Barn Swallows are insectivorous by nature. However, what do Barn Swallows eat in winter when snow covers the landscape?
Well, Barn Swallows do not have to worry about winter because they migrate south during this time! This allows them to continue consuming a Barn Swallow diet consisting of insects, as they spend their winters in places where these creatures flourish. Therefore, swallow bird food remains unchanged in winter.
Do Barn Swallows Eat Bird Seed?
Would a Barn Swallow visit a bird feeder if you were to put one out? Unfortunately, they will not feed from bird feeders.
It would be wonderful if backyard birders bought Barn Swallow food and were rewarded with close looks at a bird feeder. However, insects are the only Barn Swallow food that interests these creatures. This means that a Barn Swallow will not be interested in the bird seed that you put out.
Do Barn Swallows Drink Water?
Now that you know what Barn Swallows eat, you may wonder if these birds drink anything. Do Barn Swallows drink water?
Yes, Barn Swallows drink water! Though some bird species do not need to supplement water thanks to eating foods with lots of fluids, this is not the case for Barn Swallows.
Ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams make for good water sources. These birds commonly fly just above the water’s surface and skim the water with their bills to get a drink.
A less common method used to access water involves perching alongside water and drinking from a stationary position. However, Barn Swallows prefer to drink while flying because they feel less vulnerable this way.
Will Barn Swallows Drink From Bird Baths?
Is a Barn Swallow willing to drink from a bird bath that you have in your yard? Yes, these birds will happily drink from bird baths if no other water sources are nearby. Barn Swallows may also bathe in birdbaths in addition to drinking from them.
However, they will typically choose to use other water sources if given the chance. Nevertheless, those wondering how to attract Barn Swallows may want to consider adding a birdbath.
Where Do Barn Swallows Live?
Barn Swallows are the most widespread species of swallow in the world. They are native to five of the seven continents of the world. Therefore, look for them on all continents save for Australia and Antarctica.
Barn Swallows make their nests out of mud on human-made structures such as barns, houses, and sheds.
Are Barn Swallows Pests?
The tendency of Barn Swallows to nest on human-made structures has made some humans dislike these birds. Moreover, the fact that Barns Swallows build their nests out of mud hasn’t earned them any favors.
A Barn Swallow nest that is full of young tends to be quite messy. Nests with young often have lots of mud and droppings beneath them.
Considering the messy nature of nests and their tendency to nest near human-made structures, many regard Barn Swallows as pests. So, should Barn Swallows be considered pests?
Though they may have some messy habits, these birds should not be considered pests. After all, Barn Swallows are not invasive species. Moreover, they eat tremendous amounts of insects that humans consider to be pests.
Ultimately, Barn Swallows do far more good than harm, and those who regard these birds as pests simply lack a good understanding of Barn Swallows.
Plenty of other wildlife species such as magpies, crows, geese, and blackbirds are considered pests, but those who pay attention to their behavior know that all bird species have important roles in their native ecosystems.
Next time someone asserts that Barn Swallows are pests, simply ask them, “What do Barn Swallows eat?” and they’ll be reminded of the value of these birds.
How Can I Help Barn Swallows?
Before reading this article, you may have asked yourself, “What does a Barn Swallow eat?”. Well, now that you know, you may be wondering about how to attract Barn Swallows given how beneficial they are. Fortunately, several things can be done to help Barn Swallows to prosper:
- Avoid spraying insecticides
- Barn Swallows are insectivorous, so these birds can become very sick if they eat too many insects that have been afflicted with insecticides.
- Keep cats indoors
- Did you know that cats are perhaps the most detrimental of all Barn Swallow predators? It’s true – feral cats are known to kill millions of birds every year. Young Barn Swallows are especially susceptible to cat attacks. Keeping cats indoors where they belong is perhaps the best thing that you can do for all birds.
- Leave nests intact
- Barn Swallows will reuse their nests in subsequent breeding seasons. Simply leave their nests intact if you don’t want to have to deal with the messy process of nest building for two seasons in a row.
- Put up Barn Swallow nest shelves
- Adding a nesting shelf to a structure can encourage Barn Swallows to construct a nest. Placing a nesting shelf in a location of your choosing may also help keep Barn Swallows from nesting in areas where you don’t want them.
Creating a safe environment free of Barn Swallow predators where birds can raise their young will result in fewer insects around your property.
Conclusion
What do barn swallows eat? Well, you should now know more about Barn Swallow diet and preferences, you should know that they eat a wide array of insects ranging from mosquitoes to flies. They do not eat foods such as birdseed, instead sticking to an insectivorous diet.
Most people underestimate the importance of birds such as Barn Swallows, but the reality is that they consume immense amounts of insects annually. Without them, there may be far more insects pestering us in our backyards.
In summary, here are a few key takeaways:
- Do Barn Swallows eat mosquitoes? Yes
- Do Barn Swallows eat flies? Yes
- How many bugs do Barn Swallows eat a day? Around 1,000 bugs per day
- What do baby swallows eat? Baby swallows eat regurgitated insects from their parents