Hirundo rustica
Hirundo rustica
The barn swallow is present during the breeding season across almost all of Eurasia, North Africa and North America (BirdLife International, 2024). In Europe it has a broad distribution, being absent only from the far north of Russia (Keller et al., 2020). It occurs throughout almost the entire Iberian Peninsula, as well as in Ceuta, Melilla and the Balearic archipelago (De Lope in SEO/BirdLife, 2022). In the Canary Islands, breeding has been confirmed on Gran Canaria (Lorenzo, 2007).
It extends across practically the whole territory of the Community of Madrid, being absent only in some high-mountain sites. It occupies all types of environments, although its nests are usually placed on human constructions (Díaz et al., 1994).
In the national park it has been recorded at a single point in the southeastern edge of the protected area, at the border of La Pedriza, possibly nesting in an isolated house. Apparently there are no suitable nesting sites within the park, although it is not uncommon in the lower areas, most likely while foraging.
Its breeding areas are linked to human-altered rural environments, and to a lesser extent to urban areas. It occurs from sea level up to about 1,500 metres in altitude. It forages in agricultural habitats around villages, watercourses and riverbanks.
In the national park it does not find suitable habitats for breeding, but it may approach the lower areas and foothills near villages or river courses to feed. It has been recorded in open areas with livestock.
At a global scale it is considered a Least Concern species (LC; 2019). In Europe it would also be classified in the same category (LC; 2021). In Spain it is listed as Near Threatened in the 2021 Red List.
The Catalogue of Threatened Species of the Community of Madrid (1992) does not place the species in any threat category.
BirdLife International 2024. IUCN Red List for birds. https://datazone.birdlife.org.
Díaz, M., Martí, R., Gómez-Manzaneque, Á. y Sánchez, A. 1994. Atlas de las aves nidificantes en Madrid. Agencia de Medio Ambiente y SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.
Keller, V., Herrando, S., Voříšek, P., Franch, M., Kipson, M., Milanesi, P., Martí, D., Antón, M., Klvaňová, A., Kalyakin, M. V. Bauer, H. Gr y Foppen, R. P. B. 2020. European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Birds Census Council y Lynx Edicions. Barcelona.
Lorenzo, J. A. (ed.). 2007. Atlas de las aves nidificantes en el archipiélago canario (1997-2003). Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.
SEO/BirdLife (Molina, B., Nebreda, A., Muñoz, A. R., Seoane, J., Real, R., Bustamante, J. y Del Moral, J. C., eds.). 2022. III Atlas de las aves en época de reproducción en España. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.