: mid Apr-late May with from early Apr, and again mid/late Jul-early Sep with outliers to late Sep. Usually encountered in mixed species groups of migrating swallows, typically fast moving or high overhead with Bank Swallow's distinctive short gravelly calls often the only sign of their presence. On cold or wet days in late April/early May, swallows of all kinds gather to forage on insects newly emerging from open fresh water. Hamilton Pond is an especially good place to look when conditions are right.
Miscellany: At present, there are no known breeding colonies; the last ones were in the late 1980s and 1990s, after which swallows generally went into sharp decline. The causes of this decline haven't been determined but birds who catch their insect prey in continuous flight were most affected and the simultaneous decline in the numbers of flying insects is thought to be at least one of the causes.
Last Updated: May 31st, 2022