Bird
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Size
17â19 cm (plus tail streamers)Smaller than a sparrow but with a much longer forked tail
Weight
16â22 gAbout the weight of a large strawberry
Lifespan
4 years
Rarity
Common
M vs F
Males have longer tail streamers than females; both are iridescent blue-black above with red-orange throat
Habitat
Open countryside, farmland, near water â nests in barns and outbuildings
Best time
AprilâSeptember
Conservation
UK: Amber
LC
💡 Did you know?
Swallows migrate from the UK to sub-Saharan Africa and back every year â a round trip of up to 20,000 km â navigating using the Earth's magnetic field and sun position
Female swallows prefer males with longer, more symmetrical tail streamers â the streamers are an honest signal of parasite resistance and immune health
Often confused with
Swift (all dark
no red throat
screaming call
never perches)
House Martin (white rump
shorter forked tail)
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