Swallow Feeding Behavior Triptych

Introduction: Capturing a Fleeting Moment

Swallow feeding behavior is one of nature’s most astonishing aerial displays. While walking near Alameda Creek just outside Quarry Lakes Regional Park, I witnessed a swallow parent feeding its fledgling midair—a brief yet magical encounter. These interactions last only seconds, but they showcase the complex skill and coordination of these birds.

The Sequence: Approach, Alignment, Exchange

The moment happened in three distinct stages, captured in a triptych format:

• Approach: Parent swallow approaches fledgling to transfer food, midair.
• Alignment: Both birds stretch their wings and align midair, preparing for the food transfer, the fledgling opens its mouth wide.
• Exchange: In one precise motion, the insect is passed beak-to-beak while airborne.

I chose the triptych format because no single shot perfectly encapsulated the entire interaction. In the first photo, the fledgling’s mouth wasn’t fully open. The second lacked the right-wing extension. In the third, the birds were visually merged. Together, though, the images tell the complete story.

Why Black and White?

The original colors were a bit muted. The fledgling’s wings had a brownish tinge, and the background—East Bay hills—distracted from the action. Black-and-white conversion allowed me to emphasize the silhouettes and gesture, rather than color.

About the Birds: Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica)

The birds featured in this photo triptych are Barn Swallows, one of the most widespread and recognizable swallow species worldwide. Known for their deeply forked tails and agile flight, Barn Swallows are expert aerial feeders, often seen catching insects midair to feed their young. Their glossy blue-black upperparts and rusty red throats make them easy to identify. These social birds commonly nest in barns, under bridges, and other human structures, creating mud nests that add a charming touch to rural landscapes.

Biological Significance: Why Swallows Feed Young in Flight

Swallows are aerial insectivores, meaning they catch and eat flying insects almost exclusively [5]. Feeding their young midair isn’t just for show—it’s an evolutionary adaptation:

• Skill Development: Fledglings learn to fly and coordinate by receiving food while airborne [2].
• Efficiency and Safety: Feeding on the wing reduces the risk of nest predation and helps parents continue foraging efficiently [5].
• Direct Delivery: Parents push the insect directly into the fledgling’s throat, aiming for the esophagus to prevent choking or aspiration [3]. This is guided by instinct, with the fledgling’s wide-open, brightly colored mouth serving as a target.

This behavior reflects a stunning biological design, combining instinct, timing, and precision.

Honest Signaling in Swallow Chicks

Swallow chicks use “honest signaling” when begging for food: the bright color inside their open mouths and the intensity of their calls reliably indicate their hunger and health. Parents respond by feeding the chicks with the most vivid gape and strongest begging, as these signals are hard to fake and reflect true need or vitality. This system ensures that parental effort goes to the healthiest or hungriest chicks, maximizing survival for the brood and efficiency for the parents—a remarkable example of natural selection shaping both behavior and appearance.

Location Notes

The photo was taken from a bridge along Alameda Creek. Swallows build nests under that very bridge—safe from predators and close to food sources. I noticed them flying in loops, feeding and returning, a pattern that helped me anticipate the right moment.

Technical Approach: Gear and Artistic Choices

• Camera: Canon R5 II
• Lens: 100-400mm with 1.4x extender
• Setting: ISO1000, f/7.1, 1/8000s

I used burst mode and tracked the birds continuously. The R5’s autofocus did an excellent job locking on during this dynamic sequence.

Workflow and Post-Processing

I used a combination of tools:

• ON1 Photo RAW 2025 for sharpening and denoise (performed on my faster MacBook Pro M3 using files shared from my older, slower PC).
• Photoshop Elements to combine the images into a triptych—simpler for me than ON1’s layout tools, which I am not very familiar with yet.
• Lightroom 5 for final adjustments and watermarking.

While not a perfect or modern workflow, it fits within my time and gear limitations—and it gets the job done.

Conclusion: The Beauty of Aerial Intimacy

Photographing swallow feeding behavior midair is not just a technical achievement—it’s an emotional one. It reminds us of nature’s elegance, of fleeting moments that combine biology and beauty. I hope this image inspires appreciation for both photography and the natural behavior it seeks to preserve.

See More Posts Like This

• Leap of Light
• At Water’s Edge
• Chasing Wings

References

1. PMC Article on Swallows (PMC2597750)
2. Audubon Field Guide: Tree Swallow
3. Feathered Photography: Why Parent Barn Swallows Feed Deep
4. PMC Article on Swallows (PMC7359496)
5. Vine House Farm: Swallow Birds
6. ScienceDirect: Swallow Bird
7. eOrganic: Identification, Diet, and Management of Swallows and Swifts
8. Animalia.bio: Barn Swallow
9. Academy of Sciences: The Extraordinary Life of Swallows
10. PMC Article on Swallows (PMC2724868)