Each spring, Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins make one of nature’s most epic journeys, flying all the way from Africa to our shores to breed. At first glance, these avian athletes can look very similar, but there are some key differences between them. Have a read of our handy ID guide and soon you’ll know your Swifts from your Swallows.
Unlike Swifts, Swallows rarely venture into towns, preferring open countryside where flying insects are plentiful. They can often be seen around open water too. As autumn approaches, large groups of Swallows often congregate on overhead wires and in reedbeds before heading south, back to Africa.
Swallows are very graceful and acrobatic in flight, darting and gliding low to the ground in search of insects. You might see them skimming over lakes and rivers, scooping up water to drink.
Swallows have twittering, trilling calls which are distinctly different from the screams of Swifts.
Swallows like to nest in barns, sheds and other outbuildings. They build their cup-shaped nests from mud, usually on a beam, ledge or joist that’s sheltered from the elements. As the chicks grow, you might see their heads pop up over the rim of the nest to demand food from their parents.
People used to believe that Swallows hibernated at the bottom of ponds over winter! Now we know that they fly all the way to Africa in autumn, before returning to our shores in spring.
