Swallows may be worth cohabitation

It begins with a dab of mud in a discreet corner, easily passed by without drawing attention, yet over the course of a few days, the mud slowly builds upon itself and takes shape, eventually protruding from the wall like a naturally sculpted sconce.

Along with the growing mud pile in the corner, from dawn to dusk the yard becomes stage to an ongoing dance of swooping arrow-shaped shadows that dive, climb, bank and swoop like miniature fighter jets.

Congratulations, you are now sharing your home and yard with a proud pair of expecting barn swallows.

Strange, magically appearing clumps of mud on an exterior house wall can send folks running for a hose and a broom to stop the home-building, convinced that whatever is doing it can’t be good.

This, however, is one of those critters you may want to seriously consider cohabiting with.

One of the more common birds found in Eastern New Mexico, barn swallows are a regular spring and summer inhabitant of the region and prefer to nest in areas where humans have settled, often building their mud nests one dab at a time under house and barn eaves, on porch walls and pretty much in any nook or cranny that looks like a safe place to raise a family.

Though there are more than 80 types of swallows around the world, barn swallows are quite likely the most commonly recognized and the member of the family most often encountered throughout North America.

A migratory bird, barn swallows spend winter in the southern hemisphere and return to the northern hemisphere in spring and summer. Mating in monogamous pairs, they tend to return to familiar places each year, often going back to the home where they themselves were hatched, and also back to old nests they’ve used before to successfully rear young.

Acrobatic prowess no accident, barn swallows are designed to snatch their prey from mid-air and eat almost exclusively in flight, something they do with tremendous ease and agility.

So adept are they, that not even gravity can get in their way as they dive and dine on one of the living creatures with which humans have a most contentious relationship — insects.

Yes that’s correct, garden marauders that munch carefully planted leaves, flying vampires that suck our blood, and even the terrifying, buzzing warriors that deliver a painful sting, all are on the menu for the swooping, mud-nest building barn swallow.

If one is fortunate to catch an up-close glimpse of a barn swallow, initially they may seem to have a sinister, ominous look about them, with their shiny, compact bodies, sharp, small beaks, tail feathers shaped like small swords and dark rimmed eyes that seem to pierce through whatever they focus on.

However all of these traits converge with one thing in mind — the consumption of airborne bugs and lots of them, and that makes them a heck of a friend to have, especially in summer.

If you must remove swallows from entryways or other areas where their presence is a genuine problem, make sure to take down nests in the very early stages of construction.

Once a nest is built and has eggs inside, swallows, like many other birds, are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Act and according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife, destruction of their nests could mean a fine of up to $15,000 and six months in jail.

Federal penalties notwithstanding, these seasonal house guests take next to nothing but give plenty in return — so this summer, forget the bug light and welcome a barn swallow family instead.

Sharna Johnson is always searching for ponies. You can reach her at:

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