The Barn Swallow is the most widespread swallow in the world and a beloved sign of summer across North America, where it nests almost exclusively in man-made structures such as barns, bridges, and culverts. Its deeply forked tail and rust-orange underparts make it one of the most elegant of swallows. Males with longer, more symmetrical tail streamers attract more mates.
Best time to see a Barn Swallow
The best time to see a Barn Swallow is April–June, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 70,561 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Barn Swallow? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Barn Swallow sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spotted a Barn Swallow?
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