34. Barn Swallow Like swifts, these Barn Swallows are on the wing a lot of the time, but you are perhaps more likely to see them perched on power- or phone-lines. In outline against the sky, they show the same pleasingly clean, economic curves and straight lines, arranged ‘just so’, as all swifts and swallows. The back is blue- black and the crown and throat a handsome chestnut brown. From below the breast is a snowy-white, the tail edged with a single tail feather on each side to make a deep fork. They are summer visitors to pretty well all of Africa, mostly from October to April, coming from Europe, sometimes in large flocks: they are also known as European Swallows, a mere two of which, Europeans say, make a summer. One has to wonder, though, what the effect of climate change and weather patterns will make on these and other birds, especially the many migrants we see here. Warmer temperatures in the north may encourage some to stay in Europe and forego the arduous and energy-expensive flight all the way here. Or perhaps some will make the sensible decision to stay here. Birds of AFRICAMA House 72 Birds of AFRICAMA House 73