Barn Swallow vs Snowy Owl
Hirundo rustica compared with Bubo scandiacus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Barn Swallow | Snowy Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hirundo rustica | Bubo scandiacus |
| Order | Passeriformes | Strigiformes |
| Family | Hirundinidae | Strigidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 19.0 cm (7.5 in) | 63.0 cm (24.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Weight | 19.0 g (0.67 oz) | 2100.0 g (74.08 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insects caught in continuous agile flight, including flies, beetles, moths, and aphids. Drinks by … | Primarily lemmings on the breeding grounds, where a pair may consume over 1,500 per year. … |
| Clutch Size | 2-7 | 3-14 |
| 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.
Snowy Owl
Arctic tundra for breeding. Winters in open habitats resembling tundra, including prairies, airports, shorelines, and agricultural fields.
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.
Snowy Owl
Male gives a deep booming hoot 'hooooo' and a rising 'hoo-hoo' series. Also barks sharply when alarmed. Quieter than many owls; silent during long Arctic winter hunts.
Geographic Range & Migration
Barn Swallow
Breeds across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters in South America, Africa, and South Asia.
Snowy Owl
Circumpolar Arctic for breeding. Irruptive winter movements bring birds south to the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.
Conservation Status
Barn Swallow
Snowy Owl
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
Snowy Owl
Adult males are almost entirely white. Females and immatures have dark brown barring and spotting. Yellow eyes and fully feathered feet.
Dark hooked bill mostly hidden by dense facial feathering
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.
Snowy Owl
The snowy owl is the heaviest North American owl and one of the most charismatic Arctic birds. Unlike most owls, it is largely diurnal, necessitated by the continuous daylight of Arctic summers. Snowy owl irruptions — periodic mass southward movements — are tied to lemming population cycles.