Barn Swallow vs Emperor Penguin
Hirundo rustica compared with Aptenodytes forsteri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Barn Swallow | Emperor Penguin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hirundo rustica | Aptenodytes forsteri |
| Order | Passeriformes | Sphenisciformes |
| Family | Hirundinidae | Spheniscidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 19.0 cm (7.5 in) | 115.0 cm (45.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 76.0 cm (29.9 in) |
| Weight | 19.0 g (0.67 oz) | 30000.0 g (1058.22 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insects caught in continuous agile flight, including flies, beetles, moths, and aphids. Drinks by … | Primarily Antarctic silverfish, krill, and squid. The deepest-diving bird, reaching depths over 500 meters and … |
| Clutch Size | 2-7 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Barn Swallow
Open farmland, meadows, and areas near water. Nests almost exclusively in human-made structures such as barns, bridges, and eaves.
Emperor Penguin
Antarctic pack ice and surrounding Southern Ocean. The only penguin species that breeds during the Antarctic winter.
Song & Call Comparison
Barn Swallow
A rapid, twittering song: a long stream of 'vit-vit-vit' and rolling chirps. Also gives a sharp 'vit' flight call. Song can last many minutes without pause. Musical and liquid.
Emperor Penguin
Loud, resonant trumpeting calls used for individual recognition in dense colonies. Each bird's call is unique in frequency. Also gives softer contact 'braying' notes.
Geographic Range & Migration
Barn Swallow
Breeds across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters in South America, Africa, and South Asia.
Emperor Penguin
Antarctic continent and surrounding sea ice. Breeding colonies are found along the entire Antarctic coastline.
Conservation Status
Barn Swallow
Emperor Penguin
How to Tell Them Apart
Barn Swallow
Metallic blue-black upperparts, rufous forehead and throat, and pale buff to rufous underparts. Deeply forked tail with elongated outer streamers.
Short, wide, flat black bill adapted for catching insects in flight
Emperor Penguin
Black head, chin, and dorsal side with white belly. Bright yellow-orange ear patches fade to pale yellow on the upper breast.
Long, slightly decurved bill — black with orange or pink mandible stripe
About These Birds
Barn Swallow
The barn swallow is the most widespread swallow species in the world and has one of the longest migrations of any passerine. Its arrival signals spring across the Northern Hemisphere, inspiring cultural references from ancient Greece to modern poetry. Barn swallows have become almost entirely dependent on human structures for nesting.
Emperor Penguin
The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all penguin species. They breed in the harshest conditions on Earth, enduring Antarctic winter temperatures of -60 C and wind speeds of 200 km/h. Males incubate the single egg on their feet under a brood pouch for about 65 days while fasting.