Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

General Status Rank: 
Sensitive
ELCODE: 
ABPAU09030
Common Name: 
Barn Swallow
Scientific Name: 
Hirundo rustica
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Bird
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Aves
Order: 
Passeriformes
Family: 
Hirundinidae
References: 
B004
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

1 year
References: 
LA13

Longevity

8 years
References: 
LA13

Economic/Human Considerations

Non-game species
References: 
H129
Habitat
requires open areas for foraging, sheltered vertical or horizontal substrate, near water
References: 
B004
LA13
H307
Distribution

Ecozones

Taiga Cordillera, Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, Boreal Cordillera, Boreal Plains
References: 
B004

Distribution

About 30% (LWB02); "Range extent visually estimated from range map (Canadian Wildlife Service – Prairie & Northern Region 2009. Bird distributions in Nunavut & the Northwest Territories: 2009 Review.); ...primarily in the west of the Northwest Territories and east to Great Slave Lake, and documented breeding sporadically as far north as Inuvik (COSEWIC 2020 draft)
Score: 
G
References: 
LWB02
Winter Distribution Description: 
Central and South America

Number of Occurrences

References: 
H126

Historical Distribution

Likely similar to current dist.
References: 
H129

Area of Occupancy

Stable ? Need data to confirm for NWT
Score: 
-
References: 
LWR01
LA12
R210
Population

Population Size

North American population est. 51.3 million; NT 305,000 (R210); PIF population estimate for NWT and NU = 110,000, only occurs in NWT therefore total used. (DD16 Available at http://rmbo.org/pifpopestimates. Accessed on <January 25, 2015>.) PIF numbers not relable (SC)
Score: 
G
References: 
LA01
R210
DD16

Density

colonial or solitary
Trends

Trends

Decline; Need data to confirm for NWT; In Canada, long-term BBS data show a statistically significant decline of 3.6% per year between 1970 and 2009 (Environment Canada 2010; Figure 3; Table 2), which corresponds to an overall population decline of about 76% over the last 40 yearsFor the most recent 10-year period (1999 to 2009), BBS data show a significant decline of 3.5% per year which represents a 30% decline over the last 10 years (95% CI = -39.5% to -18.3%).(R210); BBS results for this species in the NWT, however data have low reliability and should be interpreted with caution (Environment Canada, 2014. North American Breeding Bird Survey - Canadian Trends Website, Data-version 2012. Environment Canada, Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0H3); BBS trend 1989-2017 show annual declines of -1.49% for the NT, -34% decline over the period (Smith, A.C., Hudson, M-A.R. Aponte, V., and Francis, C.M. 2019. North American Breeding Bird Survey - Canadian Trends Website, Data-version 2017. Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0H3)
Score: 
E
References: 
LWR01
LA12
R210
Threats

Threats

Threats are not well understood, but are thought to include:large-scale decline or some other change in populations of flying insects; increased mortality of adults and/or young due to climate perturbations (cold snaps that are out-of-phase with the species’ annual cycle);issues on the wintering grounds and/or during migration (pesticides, habitat loss);high levels of inter-specific competition for nests with an invasive species (House Sparrow); high loads of ectoparasites that reduce nesting success; and human persecution (e.g., removal of nests from bridges and other structures).
References: 
B004
R210

Intrinsic Vulnerability

Little human disturbance in the NWT, threats to habitat are thought to be low for this species in the NWT.Intrinsic Vulner = A (large declines in insects and in areal insectivores in general
Score: 
A
References: 
B004
R210
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Sensitive
Status Rank Description: 
Declining trends in population; limited info on numbers; Moderate range and population size, few habitat threats. BBS data for the NWT has poor reliability but indicates a decline in the NWT population. Results should be interpreted with caution. By 2020 there are 193 records on ebird Little data on population trends for this species. Given uncertainty species is ranked as S4.
S Rank: 
S3
Decision Process Description: 
Drafted by Leslie Wakelyn and S. Carriere mostly based on printed material in 2000; Reviewed in 2005 by Craig Machtans and L. Armer - no change in status.; Reviewed in 2010;no change; Updated info based on COSEWIC report (2011), modified to At risk due to detailed assessment (2011); ; Reviewed by Emily Upham-Mills CWS in 2015, suggested sensitive, but remain At Risk due to detailed assessment (S Carriere); Reviewed in 2020 by Amélie Roberto-Charron, suggested not at risk, but modified to sensitive due to additional data on trends (S Carriere); Detailed assessment update is in progress.
Last Updated: 
September 16, 2020
Status Designations

NWT - Assessment by Species at Risk Committee

NWT SARC Assessment: 
Not Applicable
Species under federal jurisdiction

NWT - Species at Risk Legal Status

NWT Status Rank: 
Not Applicable
Species under federal jurisdiction

Canada – Assessment by Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

COSEWIC Status: 
Threatened
2011; Designated Threatened in May 2011.COSEWIC. 2011. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. ix + 37 pp.
References: 
R214

Canada – Species at Risk Legal Status

SARA Status: 
Threatened
2011

References

Age Of Maturity

  • Brown, C.R., Brown, M.B. (1999) Barn Swallow in Birds of North America. No.452, The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. - LA13 Return

Area of Occupancy

  • Downes, C.M., E.H. Dunn and C.M Francis (2000) Canadian Landbird Monitoring Strategy: monitoring needs and priorities into the new millenium.. Partners in Flight - Canada A 9-15 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn) - or communicate with Erica H. Dunn, CWS in Hull, QC, at erica.dunn@ec,gc,ca - LWR01 Return
  • Dunn, E. (2005) National Action Needs for Canadian Landbird Conservation, Version 1. Canadian Wildlife Service Landbird Committee, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Canada http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/birds/action/index_e.cfm - LA12 Return
  • COSEWIC (2011) COSEWIC Status Report on the Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica in Canada. EC - R210 Return
COSEWIC Status
  • COSEWIC (2011) COSEWIC assessment of Barn swallow (Hirundo americana) in Canada. copy in COSEWIC AGM -2011 binder - R214 Return

Economic Status

  • Wakelyn, Leslie (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife biologist, CWS, Yellowknife - H129 Return

Ecozones

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Habitat

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • Brown, C.R., Brown, M.B. (1999) Barn Swallow in Birds of North America. No.452, The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. - LA13 Return
  • Emily Upham-Mills and Rhiannon Pankratz (2015) e-copy - H307 Return

Historical Distribution

  • Wakelyn, Leslie (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife biologist, CWS, Yellowknife - H129 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • COSEWIC (2011) COSEWIC Status Report on the Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica in Canada. EC - R210 Return

Longevity

  • Brown, C.R., Brown, M.B. (1999) Barn Swallow in Birds of North America. No.452, The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. - LA13 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Carrière, S. (2000) Pers. communication. Ecosystem Management Biologist; RWED - H126 Return

Population Size

Rich, T.D., Beardmore, C.J., Berlanga, H., Blancher, P.J., Bradstreet, M.S.W., Butcher, G.S., Demarest, D.W Dunn, E.H., Hunter, W.C., Inigo-Elias, E.E., Kennedy, J.A., Martell, A.M., Panjabi, A.O.,et al. (2004) Partners in Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan (janv-04). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithica, NY http://www.partnersinflight.org/cont_plan/default.htm - LA01 Return
,
COSEWIC (2011) COSEWIC Status Report on the Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica in Canada. EC - R210 Return
,
Partners in Flight Science Committee 2013. Population Estimates Database, version 2013. Available at http://rmbo.org/pifpopestimates. Accessed on <January 25, 2015>. (2013) http://rmbo.org/pifpopestimates - DD16 Return

Range Extent

  • National Geographic Society (1999) Field Guide to the Birds of North America.. National Geographic Society Third Edition EC-CWS, Yellowknife - LWB02 Return

Short Term Trends

  • Downes, C.M., E.H. Dunn and C.M Francis (2000) Canadian Landbird Monitoring Strategy: monitoring needs and priorities into the new millenium.. Partners in Flight - Canada A 9-15 EC-CWS, Yellowknife (L. Wakelyn) - or communicate with Erica H. Dunn, CWS in Hull, QC, at erica.dunn@ec,gc,ca - LWR01 Return
  • Dunn, E. (2005) National Action Needs for Canadian Landbird Conservation, Version 1. Canadian Wildlife Service Landbird Committee, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Canada http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/birds/action/index_e.cfm - LA12 Return
  • COSEWIC (2011) COSEWIC Status Report on the Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica in Canada. EC - R210 Return

Taxonomy

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Threats

  • Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
  • COSEWIC (2011) COSEWIC Status Report on the Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica in Canada. EC - R210 Return