The barn swallow, well-known to many people, is often called the killer whale by the people. People associate these small birds with warmth, young greenery and gentle sun. The killer whale in Christianity is a symbol of resurrection. According to the clergy, this tiny bird tried to throw off the crown of thorns from the head of Christ.
In many countries, barn swallows are a symbol of hope and kindness. Killer whales in 1999 were chosen by the Union for the Protection of Birds of our country as the mascot of the year. Many folk signs and various beliefs are associated with these cute birds. One of them says that the one who ruined the swallow's nest will face bad luck, misfortune and all sorts of troubles.
Another belief says that if the swallows built their nest under the roof of your house, it means that it is insured against fires. If the swallows arrived early from the south, the year will certainly be happy.
Subspecies
Among the swallows living in the European territory, two species are most common: rural and urban. Their main difference lies in the fact that the swallow living in the city builds a nest outside the buildings, and several pairs canbuild their houses close to each other.
The barn swallow prefers to move away from relatives, its nests are usually located inside structures. The city swallow flaps its wings more frequently in flight, and it soars a lot.
Origin of the name
Many novice ornithologists are interested in the killer whale. Why is this little bird called that? The swallow got its second name because of the long and thin tail feathers. They are called "pigtails". By the same principle, another bird got its name - killer whales.
External Features
The killer whale is much smaller than a sparrow - its body length is only fifteen centimeters, and its weight does not exceed twenty grams. The upper body of the bird is black, the plumage has a slight metallic sheen. The lower feathers are white-pink or pale beige. The neck and forehead are reddish-brown. The tip of the tail is forked and is completed by two narrow and long extreme feathers (pigtails).
There are practically no gender differences between males and females, except that the pigtails of males are somewhat longer. Young birds are paler in color and do not have braids.
Voice
The killer whale, the photo of which you can see in this article, has a rather sonorous and loud voice. The singing of males is heard before departure for wintering and during autumn migration. Males sing their songs, sitting on wires or in the air. Ornithologists have identified several peaks of increasesinging intensity. As a rule, they coincide with oviposition during two breeding cycles and during the collection of autumn flocks. At this time, the song of the swallow seems to be a vocal signal that unites broods and members of the pack.
The barn swallows (killer whales) are especially beautiful in quiet and warm twilight. At this time they are especially lively. Song after song is sung by males in whole groups. It is only, at first glance, the long chirping of these birds seems indefinite and continuous. In reality, the killer whale sings a song consisting of distinct periods. Each of them ends with a short and dry crackle. Then a short thin whistle follows - and the bird starts a new song.
Periodically, the flock flies away as if on command, but after a while, in small groups, it returns to the same place to rest, clean its feathers, sing its sonorous songs, and then fly up into the sky together again. Such take-offs are accompanied by disturbing sounds - "tki". During nesting, the same sound can be heard when the parents are disturbed at the nest.
Habitat
These glorious birds live on almost all continents, with the exception of only Antarctica. Barn swallows are migratory birds. Every year they go to winter in warmer climes, and then return to their places of permanent residence.
Orca Swallow: nesting
These birds breed in rural areas of Northern Europe and North America, the Middle East and Asia, Japan and NorthAfrica and South China. The killer whale winters in Indonesia, Micronesia, South Asia. They usually build nests in places with sufficient food. Another prerequisite is the availability of a source of water.
Most often they build nests in various outbuildings: in attics, in baths, in barns, under sheds.
Reproduction
Orcas are monogamous, monogamous birds. Married couples are formed in the spring, after returning from wintering. Every year, couples are formed in a new way, however, there are cases when, after a successful brood, they remain cohabiting for several years.
Males attract females by spreading their tails and making loose trills. Males left without a mate often join the formed “family” and stay with them throughout the season. Although they do not feed the chicks, they take an active part in the construction and protection of the nest, which is bowl-shaped. Birds build it from wet clay and soft grasses. It is usually attached under a rock or a canopy.
Offspring
The mating season lasts from May to the end of August. Both parents build a nest for future offspring. There are usually two broods per season. The female lays four to seven eggs in the first clutch, and three to six in the second. The eggs are white with brownish, purple or gray spots. Both parents incubate the clutch.
The incubation period lasts about fifteen days. The chicks hatch completely naked and helpless. Parents feed babies400 times a day, and before giving the chick an insect, the swallows roll it into a tight ball. The offspring stays in the nest for twenty days. After this period, young birds should learn to fly.
At the end of September, you can observe a massive flight of chicks. Young birds that have become independent form large flocks and fly in search of food along the shores of lakes and swamps, riverine meadows. In September, in some flocks, the number of swallows increases to a thousand, and sometimes more. At this time, the flight to the wintering grounds begins.
Food
The killer whale catches food in the air. Flying over open areas or over forests, near settlements, sometimes around grazing animals, these birds catch various insects. Sometimes they manage to grab insects sitting on the walls of buildings or from the grass, very rarely they gather food from the ground.
Since the swallow literally feeds on the fly, there is an opinion that the behavior of these birds can be used to judge what kind of weather is expected in the near future. However, this is not quite true. Barn swallows catch insects by always flying at low altitude. These are swifts and city swallows hunting at high altitude, and in the evening, when the insects fly away, they sink lower. In any case, the behavior of the swallows cannot be used to judge the approach of rain.
Save view
Orcas are birds that spend most of their lives in the air. That is why birds are very dependent onclimatic conditions. With prolonged bad weather, they die in huge numbers. For example, ornithologists are well aware of such a case that occurred in Switzerland (1974). Then hundreds of thousands of swallows died due to the absence of flying weather for a long time.
Careful residents of the country did their best to save the birds - they collected half-dead birds and transported them to warm Mediterranean countries. Unfortunately, barn swallows are dying not only because of bad weather. Hunting is allowed in Italy.
Undoubtedly, the global human economic activity has a negative impact on the number of the species. The rustic swallow, as its name suggests, does not tolerate concrete and asph alt. The reduction of green areas, rivers and ponds leads to a decrease in the number of these birds. Moreover, this process is proceeding at a catastrophically fast pace.
In many European countries, to attract swallows and preserve the species, clay, earth and manure are poured into special containers so that the birds do not lack building material for nests.
Interesting facts
- Most recently, thanks to bird ringing, official confirmation was received that the swallows spending the summer in Central Europe fly to South Africa for the winter.
- During the winter in Africa, swallows feed not only on the insects they catch in flight, but also on ants.
- If the chicks of swallows from the last clutch have not yet learned to fly by the time they leave for the winter, their parents stay with them until they canfly away together.
