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The barn swallow belongs to the family of swallows and martins (*Hirundinidae*), which includes over 80 species. All members share similar body morphology, characterized by long, pointed wings, forked tails, and short, weak legs, which make them ill-suited for walking on the ground. These birds spend most of their lives in the air and have wide, weak beaks adapted for catching their primary food source — flying insects. Species in temperate regions are highly migratory, often traveling long distances. While some species build mud nests attached to rocks or man-made structures, others excavate cavities in the ground, and some nest in tree cavities (these tree-nesting species may even use artificial nest boxes). The timing of their nesting season depends heavily on insect availability. For example, while barn swallows in Spain may begin nesting as early as March, the same species in Finland typically does not lay its first eggs until early June.
