Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

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In the past, the tolerance for this beneficial insectivore was reinforced by superstitions regarding damage to the Barn Swallow's nest. Such an act might lead to cows giving bloody milk, or no milk at all, or to hens ceasing to lay.cite book |last=Cocker |first=Mark |coauthors=Mabey, Richard |title=Birds Britannica |year=2005 |location=London |publisher=Chatto & Windus |isbn=0-7011-6907-9] This may be a factor in the longevity of swallows' nests. Survival, with suitable annual refurbishment, for 10–15 years is regular, and one nest was reported to have been occupied for 48 years.

It is depicted as the "Martlet", "Merlette" or "Merlot" in heraldry, where it represents younger sons who have no lands. It is also represented as lacking feet as this was a common belief at the time.cite book |last=Cooper |first=JC |title=Symbolic and Mythological Animals |pages=218-19 |year=1992 |publisher=Aquarian Press |location=London |isbn=1-85538-118-4] As a result of a campaign by ornithologists, the Barn Swallow has been the national bird of Estonia since 23 June 1960.cite web |title=The State - Structure and Symbols |work=Estonia |url=http://www.estonia.gov.uk/estonia/state |publisher=Estonian Embassy in London |accessdate=2007-11-27] cite web |title=National symbols of Estonia |url=http://www.einst.ee/publications/symbols/ |date= |publisher=The Estonia Institute |accessdate=2007-11-27]

References

External links

* [http://www.tippinst.ie/swallowsnest.html Swallows Nest Live Feed] Live feed of a Swallows Nest located in the Tipperary Institute, Tipperary, Ireland.
* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=5356 Barn Swallow videos] on the Internet Bird Collection.
* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i6130id.html Species account at USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter] . Includes song clips and sonograms.
* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Barn_Swallow.html Species account at Cornell Lab of Ornithology.] Includes range map for the Americas
* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/barn_swallow_info.htm Species account at South Dakota Birds] . Information and photos.
* [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/BirdsInEuropeII/BiE2004Sp7116.pdf BirdLife species' status map for Europe (pdf)] .
* [http://www.nasmus.co.za/ORNITHOL/Swallows/index.html The Bloemfontein swallow project] Data collection on the wintering grounds
* [http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/307_BarnSwallowHrustica.pdf Ageing and sexing (PDF) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Barn swallow — Barn Barn (b[aum]rn), n. [OE. bern, AS. berern, bern; bere barley + ern, [ae]rn, a close place. [root]92. See {Barley}.] A covered building used chiefly for storing grain, hay, and other productions of a farm. In the United States a part of the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • barn swallow — n. a common swallow (Hirundo rustica) with a long, deeply forked tail: it often nests in barns and other structures: see SWALLOW1 …   English World dictionary

  • Barn Swallow — šelmeninė kregždė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Hirundo rustica angl. Barn Swallow vok. Rauchschwalbe …   Paukščių anatomijos terminai

  • barn swallow — šelmeninė kregždė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Hirundo rustica angl. barn swallow vok. Rauchschwalbe, f rus. деревенская настоящая ласточка, f; ласточка касатка, f pranc. hirondelle rustique, f ryšiai: platesnis… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • barn swallow — barn′ swal low n. orn a common swallow, Hirundo rustica, of North America and Eurasia, that builds mud nests on the ledges and walls of buildings • Etymology: 1780–90, amer …   From formal English to slang

  • barn swallow — noun common swallow of North America and Europe that nests in barns etc. • Syn: ↑chimney swallow, ↑Hirundo rustica • Hypernyms: ↑swallow • Member Holonyms: ↑Hirundo, ↑genus Hirundo …   Useful english dictionary

  • barn swallow — /ˈban swɒloʊ/ (say bahn swoloh) noun a wideranging swallow, Hirundo rustica, with dark orange forehead and throat and pale orange underparts, sometimes nesting in barns or chimneys; chimney swallow …  

  • barn swallow — noun Date: 1851 a swallow (Hirundo rustica of the family Hirundinidae) that is widespread in the northern hemisphere, has a deeply forked tail, and often nests in or near buildings …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • barn swallow — a common swallow, Hirundo rustica, of North America and Eurasia, that nests in barns and similar buildings. [1780 90, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • barn swallow — noun The most widespread species of swallow in the world; a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts, a long, deeply forked tail and curved, pointed wings, is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas …   Wiktionary

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