Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Their distinctive forked tails and elegant aerial acrobatics announce spring’s true arrival as they return from Africa in April and May. These master fliers spend almost their entire lives airborne, catching insects on the wing as they swoop low over flowering meadows and gardens. Listen for their cheerful twittering calls as they skim just inches above the ground, often following the same flight paths day after day. Their arrival coincides perfectly with the emergence of flying insects attracted to spring blossoms – a single swallow can catch up to 6,000 insects in a day. These incredible migrants travel over 6,000 miles twice yearly, yet remarkably often return to the exact same nest site.