UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 BULLETIN No. 619 



Contribution from the Bureau of Biological Surrey 

 E, W. NELSON, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



FOOD HABITS OF THE SWALLOWS 



A FAMILY OF VALUABLE NATIVE BIKDS 



By 

 F. E. L. BEAL, Assistant Biologist 



CONTENTS 



Food Habits of the Swallows 1 



Purple Martin '. 3 



Cliff, or Eaves, Swallow . 6 



Barn Swallow 11 



Tree, or White-Bellied, Swallow ... 15 



Violet-Green Swallow ....... 19 



Bank Swallow . . 21 



Bough-Winged Swallow ....... 25 



Tabular Summary ......... 28 



