{"id":66988,"date":"2020-03-14T05:53:54","date_gmt":"2020-03-14T11:53:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=66988"},"modified":"2024-08-24T13:30:10","modified_gmt":"2024-08-24T18:30:10","slug":"barn-swallows-soon-to-arrive-in-northern-utah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/03\/14\/barn-swallows-soon-to-arrive-in-northern-utah\/","title":{"rendered":"Barn Swallows – Soon To Arrive In Northern Utah"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PreeningPreening adult Barn Swallow – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve been thinking about some of the birds that will be migrating into and through Utah in the next few weeks and Barn Swallows are among those species. During the breeding season Barn Swallows can be found in in all states of the lower 48, northern Mexico, Canada and Alaska.<\/p>\n

Barn Swallows are probably the most recognizable and easiest to identify of our swallow species because of their dark blue\u2013black upperparts, which contrast sharply with their distinctive cinnamon to orangey undersides, rusty throats, and foreheads. No other North American swallow species looks like the Barn Swallow, whether just out of the nest or fully adult.<\/p>\n

\"Barn

Barn Swallow observations in Utah – Via eBird<\/p><\/div>\n

Per the graphs at eBird sightings of Barn Swallows in northern Utah start to pick up the last week of March but I have been keeping an eye out and listening<\/span><\/a> for them since the first of the month. Due to climate change many species of birds are arriving to their nesting grounds earlier during spring migration and leaving later in the fall and because of that I start looking for migrating birds earlier each year.<\/p>\n

I photographed this preening adult Barn Swallow in the Wasatch Mountains on the last day of spring in 2018. I had taken my teleconverter off because the swallow was close to my where I sat in my mobile blind (my Jeep). Other swallows were near this bird at the time but since it was focused on preening, I focused on it. I like how this image shows the distinct long forked tail of this adult Barn Swallow. I would have preferred it if the swallow had been on a more natural looking perch over this metal post but it is what it is.<\/p>\n

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.<\/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

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":133116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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":[2108,27,4594,26,773],"tags":[4004,2111,6484,9315,9316,4545,9313,6613,3946,530,9314,4104,4394,4019,4807,3470],"class_list":["post-66988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-barn-swallows","category-avian","category-morgan-county","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-adult","tag-barn-swallow","tag-close","tag-easiest-to-identify","tag-ebird","tag-hirundo-rustica","tag-late-spring","tag-metal-post","tag-migrating","tag-migration","tag-most-recognizable","tag-perched","tag-post","tag-preening-2","tag-swallow","tag-swallows"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-adult-preening-on-post-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-hqs","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":95434,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/09\/23\/late-summer-barn-swallow-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":66988,"position":0},"title":"Late Summer Barn Swallow Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 23, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"When I took these Barn Swallow images earlier this week I wondered if the swallows I was photographing would be my last images of them this year.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"September Barn Swallow, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/barn-swallow-migration-mia-mcpherson-4268.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/barn-swallow-migration-mia-mcpherson-4268.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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post.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stretching Barn Swallow adult, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-stretching-mia-mcpherson-7535.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-stretching-mia-mcpherson-7535.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-stretching-mia-mcpherson-7535.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-stretching-mia-mcpherson-7535.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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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":100381,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/05\/swallow-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":66988,"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, 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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, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-nesting-material-mia-mcpherson-7177.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66988"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66988\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}