Barn Swallow

🔍 Overview

A true summer migrant, the Barn Swallow brings the Sussex countryside to life with its graceful flight and cheerful chirping. It nests in barns and outbuildings, often returning to the same spot each year.

🪶 Key Identification Features

Size: Small (17–19 cm)

Plumage: Glossy blue-black upperparts, cream underparts

Distinctive Marks: Long forked tail with streamers

Bill: Short, wide at the base

Tail: Long and deeply forked

Flight: Smooth, agile, swooping

🗺️ Habitat & Distribution

Common across Sussex farmland, meadows, and villages from April to September. Look for nesting pairs in barns and stables.

🎶 Voice & Behaviour

A cheerful, twittering song and rapid chattering calls. Constantly on the wing, catching insects mid-air.

🍴 Diet

Feeds exclusively on flying insects such as flies, beetles, and midges.

📸 Birding Tip

Best seen in open countryside and around farms. Watch for low-level flight over fields and water.