barn swallow

American  

noun

1. a common swallow, Hirundo rustica, of North America and Eurasia, that nests in barns and similar buildings.

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barn swallow British  

noun

1. the US and Canadian name for the common swallow, Hirundo rustica See swallow 2

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Etymology

Origin of barn swallow

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

barn swallow

Despite the well over 1,000 scientific publications about this species, female barn swallow song had never previously been the focus of a research article.

From Scientific American ● May 4, 2022

The new arrivals included the mallard duck and barn swallow, whose normal range was previously well to the south.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 4, 2019

Nearby is a bottlelike nest made from dried mud reinforced with feathers — the nursery of the barn swallow.

From Washington Post ● May 28, 2019

Here Pamuk flits like a barn swallow over fascinating issues of contemporary Turkish life, but never alights long enough to offer interesting insights or even substantially enrich the story.

From New York Times ● Oct. 16, 2017

But she sticks out her chin all the same, says, “Try me” to Frank like she’s ready for a real challenge, like she’s a barn swallow going after a hawk.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers