Swallows are various species of birds that belong to the Hirundinidae family, which have a wide distribution. Some have migratory habits and others do not, but a very distinctive feature of these insectivorous birds is their way of catching food, which they generally do while flying. Now, what about the sleeping habits of these birds?
In this article on our site we explain how and where swallows sleep, so keep reading to find out about this fact and expand your knowledge.
When do swallows sleep?
Swallows are birds with diurnal habits, so during the day they stay active and they sleep at night In this sense, it is common, depending on the region and the species, to observe swallows flying or perched on different structures, natural or artificial, since they live without any problem in both types of environments. In this way, they live in various natural ecosystems, cultivated fields, rural and urban areas.
During the day, swallows can, for example, perch on power lines where they can even be seen playing with each other. On the other hand, also depending on the time it is common for them to sunbathe. But this does not mean that they do not rest during the daytime hours, since they can, however, their true sleep hours are at night. It is also usual that while they perch during the day they groom each other.
Depending on the species, swallows can have gregarious or more solitary habits. When living in groups, can form numerous flocks, giving them an advantage over certain predators. However, those that tend to be more solitary become quite aggressive in defending their nests, to the point of pounce on a person or animal that is close to the nest.
Where do swallows sleep?
As we have said, swallows can form small or large groups, in the latter case of up to thousands of individuals. Thus, depending on the species, they live in different environments. For example, the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), which is widespread throughout most of the world, uses various spaces to sleep, shelter and nest, including they find barns, structures that form sheltered ledges, under bridges, high areas of old houses, even on slow-moving trains, beams, and rocky caves.
However, the habits of the Barn Swallow are not carried out by all species. Therefore, we mention other examples to better understand where the swallows sleep in each case:
- The sand swallow or bank (Riparia riparia) tends to use sandy banks, cliffsof rivers or coastal areas, gravel pits, quarries or areas adjacent to highways. They also look for places where they dig burrows to take refuge, sleep or build their nests, which they make with grass, feathers and various materials that they get in the surroundings.
- The Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), as its name suggests, preferentially opts for these open spaces associated with mountainous areas, canyons, hills or even in valleys. Due to urban and road development, they have adapted well to these spaces to be used as places of refuge and rest. In whichever he uses, he builds mud-based nests shaped like a dome, which will have a small opening to get in or out of. This species is quite sociable and forms groups of hundreds of pairs, which build their nests very close to each other.
- The blue swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea), which is native to the African continent, can use natural spaces ascaves or burrows of anteaters, but also humanized areas, such as abandoned mines. In any of these spaces it takes refuge and rests, but also in the reproductive season it makes cup-shaped nests, based on mud and branches.
- The White-tailed Swallow (Hirundo megaensis), which is endemic to Ethiopia, is mainly associated with areas ofbushes and rural areas In this sense, among the spaces used to nest, sleep and rest are the huts built by people, located on their roofs or beams, where they feel they are protected and sheltered from the weather. A less common place where they can build their nests is inside termite mounds. It is not easy to establish the frequency with which they carry out this last action because it cannot be clearly observed if they have nested inside this type of structure, however, they are known to do so.
- The tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), native to the American continent, thrives in spaces like reedbeds, swamps, fields, beaver ponds, and wooded areas with the presence of water. When it is not the reproductive season, during the nights it sleeps, either in the reedbeds inside or outside the water, but it can also do so in trees or artificial structures. In the reproductive season, it builds its nests in trees, protected spaces on the ground or buildings, where it will spend most of its time.
Swallows are a diverse group, however the examples above give us a general idea of the types of spaces these birds may use for sleeping. Now, we mention the nesting spaces because these animals invest significant care to incubate their eggs, so while they do so they also take advantage of the nests built to rest and sleep. We encourage you to consult this other article to know all the Types of swallows.
How do swallows sleep?
Swallows are generally gregarious and monogamous animals, although depending on the species they can form more or less numerous groups. In this sense, in non-breeding seasons they sleep in a group in some of the spaces mentioned above, but when they make their nests to lay, incubate and then attend to the chicks, then each pair is within its own nesting, since when they are newly hatched the swallows depend totally on parental care. In this sense, it is important to note that swallow nests are protected, so they should not be removed if one is found at home.
One of the most emblematic cases is that of the barn swallow, which, when not in its reproductive period, can form groups of thousands of individuals that sleep together in extremely large congregations.
