Barn Swallow

     Barn swallows arrive in Taiwan almost every March.  The winter of 2009-2010 was especially long and cold, so they didn't arrive until early April.  

     In Taiwan, it's considered good fortune to have barn swallows nesting in your eaves.  

     Although it's just a superstition, I'm happy for the belief.  The flight of swallows under building overhangs is delightful.

     Traditional Taiwanese buildings overhang the sidewalks.  That's where swallows make their nests of mud, sticks, and whatever else they can find.

     Most store managers place sheets of paper or plastic on the sidewalk under their nests to catch the poop.  Some people nail wooden ledges in place so the swallows can more easily build their nests there.  A few have callously knocked the nests down, apparently considering the birds too unclean for their liking.

     There are at least two species of swallows in Taiwan: the barn swallow and the Pacific swallow.  I've seen Pacific swallows in Hsinchu County, but I've never been able to photograph them.

(Click here for more information about barn swallows in Taiwan.)