The Swallow

As millions of birds all over the globe are already on massive migration journeys we in Ireland witness the Redwing and fieldfare (the winter thrushes) the geese and swans leaving us for northern Europe and Asia. It is the arrival from far away South Africa of the humble Swallow that we are looking out for. Earlier sightings of single brave birds could be as early as February but the main influx happens from mid March onwards.
The most distinctive aspect of the flying swallow is its forked tail. Its upper parts are a steely blue – black, the undersides are an off-white colour and the throat is orangey-red. These distinctive, agile flyers have learned to live with humans and exploit roosting and nesting sites provided by buildings and barns in the countryside and on the edges of villages and towns. The cup shaped nest is attached to or resting on a rafter. It is made of mud and lined with fine hay and feathers. Four to six eggs are laid and hatch in about two weeks. Incubation is by the female only.
But why do swallows migrate such a vast distance to spend the summer with us? If a swallow flew in a straight line it would have travelled 6000 miles to get here taking it over the Kalahari Desert, the tropical forests, the vast Sahara Desert and then through Spain and onto Ireland.
The Irish climate provides them with the right temperatures for hatching and rearing young. The long summer days allow them to feed for up to 18 hours out of the 24. Their food is mainly flying insects which one caught on the wing. Up to 3000 flies a day are eaten by on swallow.
Our parents and grand parents who were so connected to the earth, looked forward always to the arrival of the swallow. They regarded it as good luck for a swallow to nest in their shed as they believed this brought protection against lightening for fire. They regarded it as bad luck to kill a swallow. If you interfered with its nest it gave you warts. This was probably an effort by them to protect a bird that fascinated and delighted them.
They also taught us that one swallow does not make a summer!.