Swallow in mythology. Barn swallow: description, lifestyle Dictation of graceful bird swallow symbol of spring

Classification

Genus: swallows

Family: swallow

Detachment: passerine

Class: birds

Type of: chordates

Kingdom: animals

Dimensions: wingspan - 30-34 cm; body length - 17-23 cm; body weight - 15-20 gr.

Life Expectancy: 4-5 years old.

The bird spends most of its life in flight, it is on the fly that feeding, reproduction, and hunting take place. The habitat of swallows is very wide - these crumbs are unpretentious and easily adapt even to the most difficult living conditions.

Swallows prefer to keep in flocks - this way it is easier to protect the nesting territory from uninvited guests, as well as defend against potential enemies, which are numerous in the natural environment.

Graceful and fragile birds annually cover great distances in an effort to get to their homeland.

Swallows are not adapted to walking on the ground

External description

Probably almost everyone knows what a swallow looks like. These graceful birds live not only in the countryside, but also in large cities.

In the presence of attentiveness and observation, it is quite possible to see that different types of swallows clearly differ from each other in appearance: color, size, weight.

Nevertheless, there is still some general description that unites these birds. Among the similarities, it is necessary to name:

streamlined body structure, providing the swallow with excellent aerodynamic qualities;
rigid plumage, very close to the body;
poorly developed limbs;
long pointed wings;
predominantly bluish-black color of plumage, various variations of shades are permissible, depending on the species;
plumage also has a white color in the abdomen, upper tail, or breast;
simplified beak structure.

If you are interested in seeing birds with the most beautiful and unusual beaks, we recommend that you read the article

Feeding chicks is a very responsible occupation.

Most of the photos show swallows in flight, or in the immediate vicinity of the nest, which resembles a ball. This can be explained by the fact that these tiny birds spend the vast majority of their lives in flight.

Somewhat unusual appearance, light weight, dense plumage - all these qualities in combination allow swallows not only to fly beautifully over short distances, but also to overcome thousands of kilometers during the migration period.

Habitat

Despite its fragility and small size, the swallow is a unique bird, the simplicity of which allows it to settle in almost any region. The habitat of these birds is incredibly wide.

They do not live only in the Far North, which is due to the harsh climatic conditions.

On the territory of modern Russia, two main types of swallows are most common: village and city.

As the names suggest, the urban swallow predominantly lives within the boundaries of large settlements. Also, this species of birds settles in rocky areas, building nests in stone crevices.

As for the second species, the village swallow prefers the quietest and most peaceful countryside as its main habitat.

Often, the bird settles in the immediate vicinity of open natural reservoirs, which is due to the abundance of building materials for nests, as well as a large number of insects.

Swallow species

Almost all the life of swallows is in flight.

Almost everyone knows what a swallow looks like. But not everyone suspects that there are many different species of these birds in nature.

As the most common, living almost everywhere, right up to the northern regions, it is necessary to name the following:

Barn swallow. The appearance of this bird can be called a kind of classic: a bluish-black back and wings, a white-pink chest and abdomen. Among the people, this species has received the widespread name "killer whale". Such birds settle in the immediate vicinity of housing, often building nests right under the roofs of houses. It is about the killer whale that many poems of Russian poets are composed, and it is this species of swallows that marks the end of winter and the onset of summer with its arrival.
City swallow. This species differs from killer whales only in lighter plumage on the abdomen. In addition, the city swallow, also called the "funnel", is most common in the northern regions.
Earthen swallows, including the common one. Unlike most of their relatives, representatives of this species prefer to use shallow burrows dug in the ground as housing. Despite the name, almost all life of earthen swallows passes in flight, they touch the soil only when arranging nests, as well as hatching offspring.
Wood swallows. They differ from other species in bright, very interesting color. The plumage of these birds is black, but has one characteristic feature - a thick purple tint.

Nobody canceled lunch

Ant traps. These birds are found exclusively in South America. Unlike many other members of the family, they do not migrate, leading a sedentary lifestyle. As the name suggests, this species of swallows feeds mainly on large tree ants (by the way, this delicacy is also adored). Also, as their main feature, it is necessary to name strong and strong legs, which is not typical for most swallows.

Lifestyle

Swallows often settle in large colonies.

As mentioned above, most swallows are migratory birds that migrate in the cold season from northern countries to southern regions. This is explained quite simply - the main source of food for these small birds are insects.

There are also sedentary species of swallows, but only countries with a warm and mild climate are called as their habitat.

The lower limbs of birds are practically not adapted to walking, therefore, almost their entire life is spent in flight. Due to the need to make long migrations twice a year, huge flocks of swallows fly over great distances.

Due to the negative impact of weather conditions, lack of sufficient food, as well as diseases, many birds die during the flight.

As a rule, swallows that spend the summer months in temperate regions arrive at their nesting sites in early to mid-May.

Winter migration begins around mid-September. The times indicated may vary slightly depending on the amount of food found by the birds.

Nesting and breeding

Swallows form stable pairs

Often, swallows, which are among the most common species, settle in large colonies numbering more than one hundred individuals. During the breeding season, birds divide into pairs.

As a rule, the formed pair persists throughout their entire life span. However, if the previous offspring were weak and painful, the formation of a new pair is possible.

There is an interesting feature in swallow colonies: if the male does not find a female for himself during the courtship period, he may well join an already established pair.

In such cases, the male can play the role of a kind of nanny and housekeeper: he helps to build a nest, feed chicks and protect the territory from uninvited guests, including.

Sometimes swallows hatch other people's eggs if they accidentally fall into their nest.

In regions with a temperate climate, the courtship and mating period falls around mid-May-early June. The number of clutches depends on the weather conditions.

In a favorable year, provided there are no frosts and sudden changes in temperature, a pair of swallows is quite capable of raising two or three broods.

At the same time, there is an interesting feature in the bird family: the grown chicks belonging to the first clutch and having already left the nest help their parents to feed their younger brothers.

Both the male and the female take part in the construction of the nest. Birds build a frame from moist soil or clay, additionally wetting the material with their own saliva.

To keep warm in the dwelling, the female covers the nest with a layer of soft grass, down and feathers.

Most often, swallows catch insects on the fly.

Upon completion of the construction of the nest, the female lays three to seven eggs, incubating them for two to two and a half weeks. The male also takes an active part in incubation, replacing the female during feeding, or bringing various insects to her nest.

A swallow chick is born absolutely helpless, blind and naked, but at the same time has an enviable appetite. In order to feed the offspring, parents need to provide their offspring with at least four hundred portions of food every day.

A swallow chick takes on the wing sixteen days after hatching, and after three weeks it leaves the parental nest.

Swallows build beautiful and strong nests

There are many poems about swallows; these tiny birds appear in various fairy tales and stories. Some of the most interesting facts about bird life include:

Almost all types of swallows, with the exception of a few, forage exclusively in the air, capturing insects in flight. They are practically not adapted to other food, which explains their flights over long distances during the onset of winter cold weather.
These birds spend a significant part of their life in the air. They eat, drink, sleep and mate on the fly.
The lower limbs of the swallows are practically not adapted to locomotion on the ground. If circumstances force them to do this, the birds walk very awkwardly.

Often in temperate zones, the female makes two clutches during the summer. In such cases, chicks do not always have time to get strong enough to overcome a long distance during the migration process. Then the parents stay with the offspring until the moment when the chicks are ready to fly.
City and barn swallows, staying in the cold season in countries with hot climates, often change their habitual diet, feeding on large ants. Eating these insects provides the birds with sufficient nutrients to gain weight before migrating.
Long flights are not easy for swallows. A considerable number of birds die not only from hunger and fatigue, but also from unfavorable weather conditions, as well as through the fault of various predators.
A very interesting feature distinguishes the village swallow: this tiny bird cannot live without constant singing. As well as, she sings constantly, including during the flight, eating food, and also in times of danger. For this characteristic feature, this bird has become one of the main characters in Russian fairy tales, which announces the arrival of spring by singing.
Swallows are good builders. To give strength to the nests, they use stalks of dry grass, long animal hair, threads that are woven between layers of clay.
Village and city swallows are practically not afraid of people. On the contrary, birds of these species prefer to build their nests in close proximity to human habitation. Often - right under the roof, on open balconies and loggias, windows. Such a neighborhood is very useful for humans - birds prevent flying insects from entering the open windows.
Mostly swallows form a pair, which lasts throughout their entire short life. But with the birth of offspring, insufficiently adapted to existence, weakened and sickly, the couple may break up.
The average life span of birds is about four years. But there is official data on centenarians, whose age was at least eight years.

Swallows - characters from many stories and fairy tales

In Russian and Old Church Slavonic mythology, the swallow is a symbol of spring, warmth and rebirth, the beginning of a new life. And this is quite understandable - the merry song of these glorious birds, who have overcome incredible distances every year, testifies to the end of the long winter and cold weather, meaning the arrival of spring and the sun.

Swallow: A graceful long-range bird

The swallow is a small graceful bird that travels really great distances in the process of migration. To date, about 120 bird species have been identified, most of which are migratory.

It is rightfully considered a symbol of spring. Since ancient times, people have tried to have swallow nests under the roof of their house. According to legend, the swallow's nest brings peace, prosperity and wealth to the family.

In addition, these birds are very useful for humans because all day long they are engaged in exterminating harmful insects. When in the spring these nimble birds scurry about again near the nest, which was empty during the winter, it is a real holiday in the house. The swallows are back - spring has come! And this is real joy!

Barn swallow with a forked tail: description

Interesting information. The swallow can be called one of the cutest migratory birds. The size of this messenger of spring is quite small, its body length is 15-20 cm, the span of long sharp wings is 30-35 cm. The small creature weighs only 18-20 g. The swallow can be easily recognized by its long tail, which has a deep cut in the form of a fork.

The plumage of the bird is blue - black above, below - pale beige. On the forehead and the front of the neck, the barn swallow has light spots with a brown tint. You can distinguish the female from the male by the tail, for the "girl" it is slightly shorter than that of the "boy". The color of the male is more intense, the plumage of the females is less contrasting.

Habitat

The habitat of a small bird is quite large. Nesting swallows are found in North Africa, North America, Europe and Asia. These cute creatures hibernate in South America, Africa and Asia.

One can judge by the very name of the bird that the village swallow prefers to build its nest in the countryside. You can notice these swallow buildings on the walls of residential and utility rooms both in villages and in small towns. Birds feel much more comfortable in quieter places. Most often, their nests are observed in village stables or sheds, while these birds do not live on large farms.

As mentioned earlier, for a long time people believe that swallows bring happiness to the house, therefore, in order to welcome these birds to their courtyard, the owners arrange special wooden structures with corners convenient for nesting. This helps to maintain a population of small and useful creatures for people.

Lifestyle

The Barn Swallow is diurnal. This is a migratory bird that arrives from wintering in mid-May. Until the beginning of June, nimble feathered creatures are busy building nests, after arranging housing problems, the birds immediately lay eggs and hatch offspring. They fly to warm regions in September.

Barn swallows live in large flocks, they like to sit in groups on wires and chirp loudly. Their song ends with a pleasant trill. They are much more likely to land on the ground than other types of swallows. Feathered birds nest in large colonies, each pair of birds jealously defends and defends the territory near its nest.

What does the swallow eat?

This little creature's diet consists mainly of flying insects. This menu includes mosquitoes, flies and butterflies. When it is cool or raining outside, insects hide and the barn swallow changes from flying insects to crawling spiders and caterpillars. Everyone knows that before the rain, these birds fly very low above the water, but does everyone know that they do this due to the fact that in bad weather insects living at the surface of the water begin to actively move, thereby giving the opportunity to birds without much labor to get food.

When hungry chicks squeak in the nest, a pair of swallows must work from morning to night to feed the voracious young. Birds - parents bring insects to their babies in their esophagus, during the day, five chicks will need about four hundred servings.

Reproduction

Swallows build their nest from lumps of damp earth and clay, so that they are more firmly shifted with straw and hay. It resembles an open cup in shape. Inside, the birds line their home with feathers and soft grass. At the end of May, the female lays up to five eggs, they are white in color with purple or red specks. The male helps the expectant mother to hatch the chicks, but he replaces her only when she needs to eat.

Barn swallow chicks hatch from eggs after 14 - 18 days of incubation. For only three weeks, parents have to take care of their cubs, after which young swallows fly out of the nest into an independent life. After sending off the first brood, a pair of birds begins to prepare for incubating the second. If the year is warm, the swallows have time to release their cubs three times per season.

Village and city swallows: interesting facts

A related species of Barn Swallow is the Barn Swallow, the most common species of these migratory birds. Many interesting facts are known about their life:

The song of the swallow consists of sonorous "whit-whit", but when the birds notice danger, they alarm all members of the huge flock, warning them about it with a loud "cite".
It happens that chicks from the last brood do not have time to get stronger and are not able to fly away with the flock to warm lands with the onset of cold weather. In this case, the swallows - parents do not abandon their still weak children and stay with them until they can fly for the winter.
While wintering in Africa, swallows feed on ants; these birds really like such a variety in the usual menu of flying insects.
Relatively recently, scientists managed to find out, thanks to the ringing of swallows, that after a summer period in Central Europe, these birds go to winter in South Africa.
During long flights to warm lands, swallows, unfortunately, often die of exhaustion and hunger.
The barn swallow is unable to live without singing. She sings when she is looking for food in flight, sings when she sways, sitting on the wires, and sings when she is just resting.
When in ancient Rome, after the chariot races, the hero who took first place was announced, the colors of the winner were tied to the feet of the swallows and the bird was released into the sky as a symbol of victory and free flight.

The opinion that tattooed people come from places that are not so distant have long faded into the past. Young people today are happy to make tattoos, rightfully considering body drawings to be art and a way of self-expression.

Fashion pictures

The fact that a tattoo is stylish and fashionable can be seen on the beach, where every second vacationer has one or even several drawings. Tattoo lovers paint everything on their bodies: swallows on the wrist, wolves on the forearm, tigers on the chest, biomechanics on the legs and butterflies on the buttocks ... And if some twenty years ago, tattooed people were treated, to put it mildly, with apprehension , nowadays tattoo is a kind of cult.

Symbol selection

Everyone who has filled (or is just about to fill) a tattoo has spent a lot of time trying to find exactly his own drawing, which is not just a beautiful picture, but also a kind of sacred meaning and special meaning.

Many people sincerely believe that a tattoo is not only a tribute to fashion, but also a kind of talisman that eternally protects its wearer from troubles and attracts love, fame, luck, wealth and longevity into his life. The choice of drawing directly depends on what exactly a person lacks, and what he wants to attract into his life. In this article, we will tell you about one of the most popular swallow tattoos.

Multifaceted bird

One of the most beautiful tattoos for girls - "Swallow" - is not just a drawing of a beautiful bird, but also a special symbol that hides tremendous potential. In addition, the image of swallows looks very unusual and even luxurious, and they can be applied to any part of the body. But the most interesting thing that the "Swallow" tattoo carries in itself is the meaning of this drawing. By the way, there are several of them, and we will tell you about each of them.

The sign of the goddesses

In ancient Egypt, the swallow was considered a symbol of Isis - the goddess who
patronized families, pregnant women, farmers and sailors. It was she who helped lovers to be faithful, to women in labor - it is easy to relieve themselves of the burden, the sailors were given a fair wind, and the farmers were given clear weather and the rains necessary for the harvest.

The Greeks associated the swallow with the goddess of love Artemis. It was believed that with these birds she sends messages to people.

In Japan, the swallow symbolizes the feminine principle, happiness, love, courageous undertakings and changes for the better. Thus, the "Swallow" tattoo, the meaning of which is always only positive, can bring love and good luck to its owner.

Tattoo for all occasions

In our time, the "Swallow" tattoo, the meaning of which is very multifaceted, is filled not only by young maidens, but also by adult women, and even men. We offer a complete list of the meanings of this symbol:

The swallow is a symbol of the hearth, because it is known for certain that these birds always return home. If the house is sacred for you, then its symbol is perfect for you.
This bird is freedom in everything: in creativity, in work, in life. For those who lack self-confidence, who are constrained by any framework, "Swallow" will help "spread wings" and achieve all their goals.
These birds are very fast, impetuous, therefore boxers put images of such birds on their fists in order to increase the speed of the blow in battle.
Guess what else the swallow is associated with? Why do young maidens more often than others order such a tattoo? The swallow, whose meaning is associated with spring, youth and beauty, looks especially beautiful on the wrist, shoulder blade and neck, and its bearer will always be as fresh as a rose petal.
To attract good luck into your life, you can depict this bird with a four-leaf clover in its beak or with a horseshoe in its paws. Both the clover and the horseshoe are world-famous talismans of good luck, and together with the swallow, they are just a magic talisman!
Lovers can fill a swallow on their ring fingers instead of wedding rings. This stylized bird will keep the newlyweds from betrayal, resentment, disappointment, quarrels and separation. Having adorned themselves with swallows, loving people will remain faithful to each other and go through life hand in hand.
In addition to the above, the swallow also has a spiritual, sacred meaning. It is believed that these birds communicate with the souls of the dead and visit the stars. Also, the swallow symbolizes resurrection and a new beginning.

The attitude of the people towards her is especially warm and kind. And of course, she is a symbol of spring, the return of the sun. The Hermitage contains a Greek vessel - a pelica with a wonderful drawing: an adult man, a young man and a boy joyfully greet a swallow that has returned in the spring. As ethnographers write, in mythological representations the image of a swallow has a wide symbolism. Among the Greeks, it was dedicated to Aphrodite. In Egyptian myth, Isis, in the guise of a swallow, sets out to look for the body of Osiris' husband, who was killed and cut into pieces. In Christianity, the swallow is considered one of the incarnations of Christ. It symbolizes worshipers, a thirst for spiritual food. Swallow is a messenger of goodness, happiness, beginning, hope, positive transition, rebirth, morning, spring, sunrise, diligence, home comfort, paternal heritage (Myths of the peoples of the world, 1980-1982).

Swallow, swallow, gusset, gusset, swallow, swallow, weasel, killer whale, red-throated, fork-tailed, kitty cat, red-throated - all the names that were invented for her were cute and affectionate!