{"id":46293,"date":"2017-04-17T06:35:25","date_gmt":"2017-04-17T12:35:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=46293"},"modified":"2024-08-15T04:04:00","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T09:04:00","slug":"barn-swallow-nesting-season-has-begun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/04\/17\/barn-swallow-nesting-season-has-begun\/","title":{"rendered":"Barn Swallow Nesting Season Has Begun"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BarnBarn Swallow with a bill full of mud – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/2000, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Barn Swallows have returned for the nesting season here in northern Utah and if they aren’t already building nests they will be constructing them very soon. I have been enjoying seeing the Barn Swallows again along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park, at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and while out driving around looking for other birds to photograph.<\/p>\n

Barn Swallows use mud and grasses to form pellets which are used in the construction of their nests. They make hundreds of trips with mud in their bills to create their nests then the nests are lined with soft grasses and feathers before the eggs are laid. Each nest may have somewhere between 750 to 1,400 pellets and they often reuse old nests.<\/p>\n

\"BarnBarn Swallow at the edge of a puddle – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/1250, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I photographed these Barn Swallows last year on Antelope Island State Park, I am not exactly sure where they build their nests there but the colony may nest under the bridge close to the island. They usually need a vertical structure like a wall or cliff in order to build their cup-shaped nests.<\/p>\n

Barn Swallows lay 4 to 7 eggs which take 13 to 17 days to hatch and both parents incubate. Barn Swallows can have more than one clutch per year and there are times that the young from the first brood help out the adults by feeding the second brood.<\/p>\n

The Barn Swallow in the photo above seemed to be taking a short rest from gathering nesting materials.<\/p>\n

\"BarnBarn Swallow photo bomb – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/1250, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though this photo isn’t perfect I wanted to include it because this swallow was photo bombed by another swallow and both of them have mud in their bills.<\/p>\n

I haven’t photographed a Barn Swallow yet this year but hopefully it won’t be too long before I have the opportunity to do so.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Barn Swallow photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Barn Swallows have returned for the nesting season here in northern Utah and if they aren’t already building nests they will be constructing them very soon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":132458,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,2108,27,1022,26],"tags":[4004,2111,5750,5552,5814,4545,2213,5815,4182,4450,5816,5813,5112,4807,3470,3996],"class_list":["post-46293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-barn-swallows","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-barn-swallow","tag-beak","tag-bill","tag-clutch","tag-hirundo-rustica","tag-mud","tag-nest-construction","tag-nesting-material","tag-nesting-season","tag-pellets","tag-photo-bomb","tag-puddle","tag-swallow","tag-swallows","tag-water"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-puddle-mia-mcpherson-1471.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-c2F","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":51958,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/05\/04\/barn-swallow-nesting-season-is-happening-now-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":46293,"position":0},"title":"Barn Swallow Nesting Season Is Happening Now In Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Barn Swallows are like tiny, feathered brick masons. One pellet by itself is nothing but combined pellets form the nests these birds use to raise their young in.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Barn Swallow with a beak full of nesting materials, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-nesting-material-mia-mcpherson-7177.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-nesting-material-mia-mcpherson-7177.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-nesting-material-mia-mcpherson-7177.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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material in its bill, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-flight-mia-mcpherson-4402.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-flight-mia-mcpherson-4402.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-flight-mia-mcpherson-4402.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-flight-mia-mcpherson-4402.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15032,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/05\/23\/nesting-cliff-swallows\/","url_meta":{"origin":46293,"position":2},"title":"Nesting Cliff Swallows","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday at East Canyon State Park in Morgan County I was able to photograph nesting Cliff Swallows on a cliff face that overlooks the reservoir.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cliff Swallow nests, East Canyon State Park, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cliff-swallow-nests-mia-mcpherson-8130.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cliff-swallow-nests-mia-mcpherson-8130.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bear River Cliff Swallow perched on phragmites, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cliff-swallow-adult-mia-mcpherson-1307.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cliff-swallow-adult-mia-mcpherson-1307.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cliff-swallow-adult-mia-mcpherson-1307.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cliff-swallow-adult-mia-mcpherson-1307.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100381,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/05\/swallow-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":46293,"position":4},"title":"Swallow Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 5, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I wanted to share swallow photos that show the six species of swallows I see and photograph in northern Utah while they are here for their nesting season.","rel":"","context":"In "Bank Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Bank Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/bank-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Violet-green Swallow adult back view, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":66988,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/03\/14\/barn-swallows-soon-to-arrive-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":46293,"position":5},"title":"Barn Swallows – Soon To Arrive In Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Perhaps the next weather front coming from the south will push these Barn Swallows into northern Utah, I know I will be watching for their arrival.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Preening adult Barn Swallow, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-adult-preening-on-post-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-adult-preening-on-post-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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