Wild Barn Swallow Conservation and Climate Welfare

Barn swallows face welfare challenges from changing insect availability driven by agricultural intensification and climate change affecting migration timing.

Key Facts

Barn swallow populations declined by approximately 35% in the UK between 1995 and 2018
They feed almost exclusively on flying insects caught on the wing
Agricultural intensification has reduced flying insect biomass by an estimated 75% since 1990
Swallows migrate to sub-Saharan Africa and return to the same nest sites annually
Climate change is advancing spring insect emergence while swallow arrival dates have shifted less
This phenological mismatch means arriving swallows face food scarcity during critical breeding periods
Nest sites in farm buildings are increasingly lost through modern construction practices
Wet, cold summers reduce insect abundance and cause significant chick starvation

Welfare Considerations

Barn swallow chicks starve when insect abundance is insufficient during cold, wet periods or when agricultural landscapes lack diversity. Adults in low-insect environments expend more energy foraging for fewer calories, compromising their own condition and chick provisioning. The welfare of individual swallows is closely linked to the invertebrate diversity of surrounding farmland. Farm management that maintains permanent pasture, reduces pesticide use and creates insect-rich field margins directly improves swallow welfare throughout the breeding season.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment scheme options that maintain permanent pasture and reduce pesticide use
Provide access to farm buildings for nesting swallows - open windows or install nest cups
Reduce pesticide use in gardens and land you manage to improve insect availability
Report barn swallow nest sites to the BTO to support population monitoring
Support the RSPB's farmland biodiversity programmes that benefit insect-eating birds