Incredible Builders

Have you ever wondered how Swallows make their nests? Well, I have and recently I had the opportunity to watch a pair of Barn Swallows as they carefully built theirs. After moving to their new home, my parents had cleared out all the nests that were there from the previous year. However, when the Swallows returned in March after spending the winter in the Southern Hemisphere, they decided to set up residence in the same location and began building once again.

Pausing to survey its work

The mother and father birds work together throughout the day, returning from the fields with beaks full of mud and grass, which they carefully pack down.

One beak full of mud coming up!

Carefully placing the mud "brick"

It amazes me how they know to mix mud and straw/grass to make their nest stronger!

  It has been documented that they may make up to 1,000 trips to collect mud.
 

Notice the forked tail, which is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Barn Swallow

They are great to have around since 99% of their diet consists of flies, wasps and other flying insects.

It took them about a week (when they finally began building in earnest) and once the main structure was finished, they started lining the nest with grass, dog fur, horse hair and other soft materials. Soon there will be 3 to 6 white eggs with reddish brown speckles and about 2 weeks after that, babies!

We could learn much from the cooperation, hard work and dedication of the Swallow. Day after day they labor together, not arguing about who is working more or less, not bickering about where to place the next load of mud, but cheerfully singing as they work, eat and raise their family.

"Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Colossians 3:23

PS. in case you're curious, check out the Barn swallow calls