Barn Swallow Construction
Posted by Devin Manky June 12, 2012
These days are a flurry of wildlife activity on top of Grouse Mountain. Many mammals and birds are nest building, feeding young or just otherwise active and feeding after a long winter.
One of our more common avian residents is the Barn Swallow. These guys arrive from migration in mid-May and begin to find suitable nesting locations and partners. Once they have found a good spot they then scope out some building materials.
Barn Swallows build their nests one mouthful at a time. They gather mud, small sticks, grass and mash it all together with a special saliva mixture that they then stick under the eaves of buildings. When not around human structures they often use rocky overhangs and projections as anchors for their nests.
It was fascinating to watch these guys for a short while as they went back and forth from the mud puddles to the nest on the building, making small additions every time.
Here are some photos:
