www.helium.com
by Clacky McSnackins
A barn swallow is one of the first birds that most bird watchers are able to identify. With it’s obvious long forked tail, and distinctive markings, plus the large number of birds located throughout the world, it is pretty difficult not to identify one, especially if you live in North American or Europe, where they are generally found in the greatest numbers.
However, if you really want to ensure that you find these birds, the best thing to do is to create a bird house for them. The barn swallow actually got it’s name, because it’s general choise of nesting spots is within a barn or a chimney. They use these areas because of their wide availability and the ease in which they can place a mud nest, which is their preferred nesting substrate.
In order to build a house, you need to realize, that this is a relatively small bird, that enjoys a relatively small house. Keeping this in mind, you should probably use nothing larger than a 4x4x10 house. Using anything bigger will encourage different types of birds that the barn swallow and will most likely be too large for them to fully enjoy it. The opening to the bird house should be no bigger than 11/4 to 11/2 inches in diamter. This is important, because the nest hole will ultimately determine what type of bird can or can’t use that nest. By keeping it this size you are sure that most larger birds will stray away from this nest, leaving it available to the barn swallow.
You should place the birdhouse around 10-15 feet off of the ground, but generally the best place to have the nest is attached to a building or tree. Because the bird is a perch nesting bird, you should also keep in mind that having an enclosed house isn’t necessarily the best method of attracting them. This means that you should build the house enclosed except for the roof. By doing this, you have the greatest chance of attracting the barn swallow.
If you do this in a barn swallow area, then you will most likely before too long see some activity in the area. The best bet is to build multiple sites in the same area. By doing this, you increase the chances that a flying by bird will notice them and take up a nest there. It is also advised that you include feeding areas around these nests to make them even more appealing to passersby.
Build a birdhouse for barn swallows in your area. You will get the benefit of having them in your yard. The birds will be happy. It’s a win, win situation for everyone!
You need to stick with nest boxes for barn swallows. Barn swallows are picky and will not make just any old birdhouse their new home.
The best material for barn swallow nest boxes are wood. You can use other things but the barn swallows like wood the best. Use fir, white pine, cypress or cedar for their new homes. NEVER use treated wood because it can kill our fine feathered friends if they peck on it.
Wood allows the nest box to breathe and have less chances of mold, mildew and other irritating problems from rain. Wood will dry out faster then plastic and metal nest boxes.
Now that you have the wood for the nest box, you need to go to the library. Photo copy a drawing and building plans for barn swallow nest box. Build the box according to the plans.
Birds are picky. One size nest box will not do for each of them. Make sure the plans are specifically for barn swallows.
Once the nest box is build, drill some ventilation holes in it. You want the birds to have plenty of ventilation to avoid heat stroke and other problems.
Make sure you stain or paint the swallow nest box with LEAD FREE paint.
Hang in the yard and wait for the barn swallows to move in. If you can, hang within site of a window but far enough away not to scare any shy barn swallows that might be looking for a new home.
Barn Swallows enjoy covered spaces that are protected on as many sides as possible. They like rafters, and I found that they like to nest in the opening stairwell to the basement, and in the firewood shed. They took over the barn and at some times won’t even let us in. Simply put, if you want to build something that will attract barn swallows, build a barn!
They like to have their nests built in the rafters so birdhouses should reflect their building preferences. We had barn swallows nest in our front porch one year. We ended up having to keep our screen door open for half the year to accommodate first the mother as she sat on her eggs and then for her and daddy as they fed their brood. We were allowed very close access while the children grew up, so they are quite fearless. The nest has to be high enough that you can’t look into it. I would build a six by six by eight inch high box and I would make the hole near the top about one and three quarter inches in diameter. Put an overhang off the front of the box and mount it on a pole or side of a building high near entrance.
