What they like

Open space with insects in the air. Water nearby. And above all: a barn, stable, carport or bridge where they can stick his nest under a beam. Leave a door or window slightly ajar during the breeding season. Hang a simple nest board or artificial swallow nest under an eaves. Make a mud patch somewhere (bare ground + a bit of water): building material sorted. Livestock in the meadow, flower strips, herb-rich verges: that’s his snack bar.

Ecological importance

Catches masses of flying insects: mosquitoes, midges, small beetles. Food for his young, but also a natural brake on insect peaks around farmyards and stables. He themself is on the menu mainly for sparrowhawk and hobby: part of a lively landscape.

When in the Netherlands

Summer visitor. Usually from March/April to September/October. Often breeds in two broods.

Status

A breeding bird that’s struggling; numbers have been declining for years. Can be helped easily with nest sites, mud patches and insect-rich management.