Field Notes: Barn Swallow

Recognized by its distinctive cobalt blue head, dusty orange throat, tawny underside and deeply forked tail Barn Swallows are the most abundant of all swallows in the United States. They can typically be found flying acrobatically in wide open natural spaces swiftly searching for insects or can be observed darting in and out of mud nests dutifully constructed under such places as bridge decks or horizontal surfaces inside of structures like a drafty old barn, hence their name.

Barn Swallow

 

Location Details & Camera Settings

Badlands National Park is located in southwestern South Dakota. It is managed by the National Park Service and the Oglala Lakota Tribe co-manages the South Unit which is located in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. While recently visiting the 244,000 acre park I observed beyond its many iconic rugged natural vistas an abundance of wildlife. The Barn Swallow photo presented in this field note was taken while sauntering along the Window Trail.

Camera Settings: Sony A7 IV - Focal Length 500 mm - Shutter Speed 1 /1500 Sec - Aperture f/6.7 - ISO 640