Birds Identified: Barn Swallow
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Barn Swallow has these characteristics:
- Still perching
- Continuous flying
- Smaller than robin
- Tail long
- Tail forked
- Rust color present
- Blue or bright green (not dull green)
- Bold markings present (patches or blotches of black, white, or color)
- North summer (June through August)
- South summer (June through August)
- Field habitat
- Marsh habitat
- Flats or beach habitat
- Continuous flying low (below treetops when flying)
- Perched high (generally above middle of trees when perched or foraging)
- Perched low (generally below middle of trees when perched or foraging)
- Zig zag flight (many irregular twists and turns)
- Occurs in flocks (from 4 or 5 to thousands)
- Smooth, clear calls (can be imitated by human singing voice or whistling)
- Staccato and twitter call (short sharp notes or rapid series of notes: tinkling, trilling, sputtering, or percussive)
- Melodious song (pitch variable; smooth, sweet, or rich quality; pattern generally complex)
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Eric Haines,
erich@acm.org