With its long, forked tail and long wings, it is the most graceful of all land birds and reminds one of the smaller terns not only in shape but in behavior. The Barn swallow has taken so completely to nesting on human-made structures that one forgets they were once restricted to caves and rock crevices. Almost every farm in the state has a pair or two nesting in an outbuilding, and very few bridges do not have a pair or two. It is the best known of the swallows.

It is a fairly common to locally abundant summer resident and breeding bird throughout Oregon and is restricted primarily to human made structures, especially farm outbuildings, bridges and homes.

Hear the call and song of the Barn swallow

Photo from ODFW