Very common, small, long-winged migratory birds that often have a deeply forked tail. The swallow family, Hirundinidae, consists of over 100 species, some of which are found in Skopelos, including the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), the Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica) and the House Martin (Delichon urbica).

Swallows are easily identifiable. Their short, flat, triangular bills and large mouths are ideal insect-catching devices. Long, pointed, well-developed wings support their swift flight and aerial insect catching. Tails are notched or forked; their short legs and weak feet are best suited for perching.

They can be found in a variety of habitats : mountain meadows, parkland forest, marshland or even in the town. However, two elements are always present: suitable nest places and water.

Swallows will often fly low and very fast with elegant wing beats. They spend most of the day on the wing catching insects and roosts, often in large groups, on telephone wires. They land on the ground only to collect mud during nest building. Swallows are master nest builders. Four to six eggs are laid in the nest. The young are fed insects.

House Martin  (Delichon urbica)

Length: 13 cm

Description: Dark upper body contrasting with white belly and diagnostic white rump. Tail is short and forked and the under surface of the wings is black. The demarcation of the two colours is not so sharp in immature birds.

House Martins are very common in Skopelos and arrive in April / May. They build their nests on buildings, mostly on the roofs or under the eaves. They will flock prior to migration in September / October and will return to the same nest year after year. They migrate by day, in contrast to most other birds that migrate at night.

Barn Swallow  (Hirundo rustica)

Length:19 cm

Description: Barn Swallows have longer wings and tail than House Martins, red throat and front, and creamy white belly. Immature is duller and more brown than adult. Tail is shorter on immature and females.

The barn swallow is the most popular bird in Europe and is also a familiar bird throughout the United States. In the past, destruction of its nest was believed to bring harm to the house or its inhabitants - fire, lightning or even death. Barn swallows nested originally in caves and under natural ledges. As man moved in and built outbuildings and barns, these birds soon started building nests on them, for they provided a considerable amount of protection from predators and the elements.

In addition, barnyards also afforded a greater supply of insects than did natural swallow habitats. Now, barn swallow nests are a familiar sight in and around man-made structures. Both male and female participate in nest building. They visit a nearby seep to get small pellets of mud, which they carry back to the nest site in their bills. The lower layers of the nest usually have quantities of grass mixed in with the mud. The mixture of mud, grass and saliva sticks extremely well, enabling the swallows to build their nests on almost any vertical surface. It has been estimated that adult barn swallows fly as much as 315 km a day searching for food for their young.