Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Silhouette: Matt Wilkins · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Iguazú National Park

In 3 days <5%

17 Verified sightings at Iguazú National Park From 2019 to 2026
93,299 In all 239 parks
November Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Barn Swallow

The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail. In Anglophone Europe, it is just called the swallow; in northern Europe, it is the only member of family Hirundinidae called a "swallow" rather than a "martin".

There are eight subspecies of barn swallow, which breed across the Northern Hemisphere. The other six are more widespread, with winter ranges covering much of the Southern Hemisphere. The barn swallow is a bird of open country that normally nests in man-made structures and consequently has spread with human expansion. It builds a cup nest from mud pellets in barns or similar structures and feeds on insects caught in flight. This species lives in close association with humans, and its insect-eating habits mean that it is tolerated by humans; this acceptance was reinforced in the past by superstitions regarding the bird and its nest. There are frequent cultural references to the barn swallow in literary and religious works due to both its living in close proximity to humans and its annual migration. The barn swallow is the national bird of Austria and Estonia. Wikipedia →

Sounds

Begging call1:01

United Kingdom · 2026

© Anthony McGeehan · XC1165430 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song0:39

France · 2026

© Olivier SWIFT · XC1149071 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call1:07

Poland · 2025

© Romuald Mikusek · XC1029124 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~70%
2 Udawalawe National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~60%
3 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~60%
4 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~60%
5 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~60%
6 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~60%
7 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~50%
8 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~50%
9 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~50%
10 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~50%
11 uMkhuze Game Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
~50%
12 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~50%
13 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~50%
14 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
~50%
15 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
~40%
16 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~40%
17 Plitvice Lakes National Park 🇭🇷 Croatia
~40%
18 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
19 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
20 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~40%
21 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
~40%
22 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
~40%
23 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
24 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~40%
25 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~40%
26 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
~40%
27 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~40%
28 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~40%
29 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
30 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
31 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~40%
32 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~40%
33 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~40%
34 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
35 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
36 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~30%
37 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~30%
38 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
39 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
40 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~30%
41 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
42 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
~30%
43 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
44 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
45 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~30%
46 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
47 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
48 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~30%
49 De Hoop Nature Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
50 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
51 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
52 Odzala-Kokoua National Park 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo
~30%
53 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
54 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
55 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~30%
56 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~30%
57 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~30%
58 Padre Island National Seashore 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
59 Picos de Europa National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~30%
60 West Coast National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
61 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~30%
62 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~30%
63 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~30%
64 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
65 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~30%
66 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~20%
67 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
~20%
68 Aigüestortes National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
69 Hohe Tauern National Park 🇦🇹 Austria
~20%
70 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~20%
71 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~20%
72 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
73 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
74 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
75 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~20%
76 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
77 Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
78 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~20%
79 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
80 Tatra National Park 🇸🇰 Slovakia
~20%
81 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
82 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
83 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
84 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
85 Satpura National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
86 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
87 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
88 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
89 Nikko National Park 🇯🇵 Japan
~20%
90 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~20%
91 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
~20%
92 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
93 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~20%
94 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
95 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
96 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~20%
97 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
98 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
99 Horton Plains National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~20%
100 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~20%
101 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
102 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
103 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
104 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
105 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
106 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
107 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
108 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
109 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
110 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
111 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
112 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
113 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
114 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~10%
115 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~10%
116 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
117 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
118 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
119 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
120 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
~10%
121 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
122 Gir National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
123 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
124 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
125 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
126 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
127 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
128 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
129 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
130 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
131 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
~10%
132 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
133 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
134 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
135 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
136 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~10%
137 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
138 Eravikulam National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
139 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
140 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
141 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
142 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
143 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
144 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
145 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
146 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
147 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
148 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
149 Cabo Pulmo National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
150 Jaragua National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
~10%
151 Golden Gate Highlands National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
152 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
~10%
153 Raja Ampat 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
154 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
155 Sinharaja Forest Reserve 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~10%
156 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
157 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
~10%
158 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
159 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
160 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
161 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
162 Vanoise National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
163 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
164 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
165 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
166 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
167 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
168 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
169 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
170 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
171 Kinabalu Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
172 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
173 Khao Luang National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
174 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
<5%
175 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
<5%
176 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
177 Irazú Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
178 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
179 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
180 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
181 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
182 Lauca National Park 🇨🇱 Chile
<5%
183 Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
184 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
185 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
186 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
<5%
187 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
188 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
189 Komodo National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
190 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
<5%
191 Gunung Leuser National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
192 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
193 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
194 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
195 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
196 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
197 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
198 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
199 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
200 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
201 Langtang National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
202 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
203 Cuc Phuong National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
<5%
204 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
205 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
206 Tangkoko Nature Reserve 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
207 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
208 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
209 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
210 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
211 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
<5%
212 Kerinci Seblat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
213 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
214 Nahuel Huapi National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
215 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
216 Danum Valley Conservation Area 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
217 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
218 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
219 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
220 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
221 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
222 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
223 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
224 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
225 Podocarpus National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
226 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
227 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
228 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
229 Tierra del Fuego National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
230 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
231 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
232 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
233 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
234 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
235 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
236 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
237 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
238 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
239 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Luxor 🇪🇬 Egypt
~80%
2 Cairo 🇪🇬 Egypt
~80%
3 Kathmandu 🇳🇵 Nepal
~70%
4 León 🇲🇽 México
~60%
5 Tel Aviv 🇮🇱 Israel
~60%
6 Quanzhou 🇨🇳 China
~50%
7 Tainan 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~50%
8 Tunis 🇹🇳 Tunisia
~50%
9 Chongqing 🇨🇳 China
~50%
10 Tashkent 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
~50%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Alpenzoo Innsbruck 🇦🇹 Austria In captivity
2 Zoo Koki (Parque zoológico y botánico) 🇪🇸 Spain In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Barn Swallow in Iguazú National Park?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Barn Swallow sighting in Iguazú National Park on a given day, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 301st most-seen of the 343 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Barn Swallow in Iguazú National Park?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Barn Swallow in Iguazú National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Barn Swallow?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Barn Swallow sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Where does the Barn Swallow sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Barn Swallow is recorded against all the birds logged in Iguazú National Park (17 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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