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Platte River Status: An abundant migrant and common nesting species; the most common swallow nesting in the study area. Occurrence dates at the Mormon Island Crane Meadows, Hall County, extend from 11 April to 17 October. Tout (1947) recorded barn swallow in Lincoln County during 27 April to 28 September. Rosche (1979) found barn swallow in the lower North Platte River Valley during 12 April to 15 October.

Breeding Range: A common (locally abundant) nesting species in the Platte River Valley, Eastern Plain, and Dissected Plain physiographic regions. Fairly common on the Western Plain; fairly common and local in the Sandhills.

Breeding Population: The estimated population in 1979-1980 was 72,330 nesting pairs, which made up 2.3% of the total breeding bird population. Barn swallow ranked 14th among all breeding bird species in the study area those years.

Habitat: We found the highest mean breeding nesting in shelterbelt (62 pairs/km²), followed by prairie wetland (16.5 pairs/km²), river channel island (8.7 pairs/km²), domestic hayland (5.7 pairs/km²), wet prairie (5.0 pairs/km²), alfalfa (4.7 pairs/km²), upland prairie (3.0 pairs/km²), lowland forest (1.5 pairs/km²), corn (0.5 pairs/km²), and wheat (0.5 pairs/km²). Rising (1974) found barn swallow nesting singly or in small colonies on abandoned buildings or under bridges and rock outcroppings in western Kansas. Faanes (1982) reported that barn swallows on a central North Dakota study area restricted their nesting to farm sites and highway bridges, although the birds were regularly observed foraging over all major habitat types present.

Effect of Habitat Alteration: Barn swallow has benefited from the alteration of natural habitats in the study area. Probably the single most important change helping this species has been the construction of highway bridges and various buildings that can support nest construction although new bridge construction materials may contribute to discouraging nest attempts. Although land management practices contributed to population increases across Illinois in the 1950's, Graber and Graber (1963) speculated that use of pesticides and insecticides may ultimately create problems in food acquisition for barn swallow.

Nesting Data: We have records of nests and young from 16 locations in the study area. Egg dates from the Mormon Island Crane Meadows, Hall County, extend from 6 June to 16 August; recently fledged birds have been found as late as 11 September. Mean clutch size among four Lincoln County nests was 4.7 eggs during 24 May to 20 July. Egg dates in Kansas range from 1 May to 10 August (Johnsgard 1979).