How to Attract Barn Swallows

With a long, forked tail, dark blue-gray wings and a rust-colored belly, the barn swallow is one of the most desirable birds on the farm. Known for controlling unwanted insects, they flit back and forth when any activity stirs up bugs. You can spot them following a farmer as he harvests. Attracting barn swallows is a rewarding project.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Open the door. Barn swallows got their name because they like to seek an inside shelter to make their home. Old barns and abandoned buildings provide good homes. Leaving an open door encourages them to come in and nest.

2. Cut an opening in an old shed to attract barn swallows. If creating a hole will not damage inside contents, an old shed is a good place to attract these birds. They prefer large entrances but will come in through holes as small as 4 inches in diameter.

3. Build a ledge to attract your feathered friends. An open platform in the top of the structure is a favorite choice for barn swallows. They construct their nests from sticks, mud and grasses before laying eggs to rear their young.

4. Provide wide-open spaces to attract barn swallows. With a diet comprised almost entirely of insects, a barn swallow will cover large areas in search of food. Observe their mid-flight eating patterns as they snatch flying insects with precision. Just don’t go too close; they can dive-bomb intruders.

5. Install a birdbath, garden pond or livestock pond to encourage barn swallows to nest on your property. While they will make their home in a barn with no water source close by, they will nest first near water if it is available.

Tips & Warnings

• Barn swallows will return year after year to their nests so keep the doors open.
• If you live in a rural area and there is no barn or outbuilding for swallows, they may nest on a porch light under a covered roof.

[vallain]

on 6/26/2008 An easy way to entice these helpful birds and encourage them to stay in your area.