Barn birds in Georgia

The country Georgia has four species of swallows and martins (order Passeriformes, family Hirundinidae), which are similar to swifts, but they have more slender bodies, longer pointed wings, and shorter bills. The four species of swallows and martins in Georgia are the sand martin (Riparia riparia), the Eurasian crag martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris), the common house martin (Delichon urbicum), and the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)

The photographed birds in Georgia are the barn swallows. They are extremely widespread and found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The Hirundo rustica species (meaning ‘rural swallows’) have rusty-red coloured throats with steel-blue feathers and off-white under-feathers. They grow to about 17 centimetres long (6.7 inches) including their tails of 2-7 centimetres (0.8-2.8 inches). Their wingspan is about 32 centimetres in length (12.6 inches).

They breed in the Northern Hemisphere from sea level and up to 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) in the Caucasus. They are not particularly fast but are known for their manoeuvrability, feeding while in flight on flying insects.

They are very communal birds, flying in groups. Females lay 2-7 white eggs with reddish spots. The female looks after the nest for 14-19 days, and when the eggs hatch the young birds take about 18-23 days before they can fly.

Georgia also has three species of swifts (order Apodiformes, family Apodidae): the alpine swift (Tachyymarptis melba), the common swift (Apus apus), and the pallid swift (Apus pallidus).

MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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