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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Barn Swallow	White-throated Swallow
Scientific Name	Hirundo rustica	Hirundo albigularis
Order	Passeriformes	Passeriformes
Family	Hirundinidae	Hirundinidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	19.0 cm (7.5 in)	—
Wingspan	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	25.1 cm (9.9 in)
Weight	19.0 g (0.67 oz)	21.666666666666668 g (0.76 oz)
Diet	Aerial insects caught in continuous agile flight, including flies, beetles, moths, and aphids. Drinks by …	--
Clutch Size	2-7	2-5
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Barn Swallow 19.0 cm

White-throated Swallow —

Wingspan

Barn Swallow 33.0 cm

White-throated Swallow 25.1 cm

Weight

Barn Swallow 19.0 g

White-throated Swallow 21.666666666666668 g

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🌾 Grassland

Barn Swallow only

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

White-throated Swallow only

None

Barn Swallow

Open farmland, meadows, and areas near water. Nests almost exclusively in human-made structures such as barns, bridges, and eaves.

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Song & Call Comparison

Barn Swallow

Song

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.

White-throated Swallow

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Geographic Range & Migration

Barn Swallow

Breeds across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters in South America, Africa, and South Asia.

White-throated Swallow

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Barn Swallow

Least Concern

White-throated Swallow

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How to Tell Them Apart

Barn Swallow

Plumage

Metallic blue-black upperparts, rufous forehead and throat, and pale buff to rufous underparts. Deeply forked tail with elongated outer streamers.

Bill

Short, wide, flat black bill adapted for catching insects in flight

White-throated Swallow

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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.

White-throated Swallow

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