Short abstract from the book: The barn swallow is a common breeding bird in Denmark
and the most common swallow in the country.
In Denmark the first barn swallow was ringed in 1903,
with the majority ringed in the 1960s and ’70s. The recovered birds were ringed in most of the country, 67 % as chicks. The majority are Danish birds, but passage migrants have also
been ringed, i.e. at roost sites from August to early October.
The Danish barn swallows are migrants. In the second half
of August a few young birds have been recovered in northern
Germany, and in September more birds have been recovered
at considerable distances from the ringing sites in southern
Germany, Switzerland and France. However, in September
88 % of the recoveries are still from Denmark. The mean position of adult birds is south of Denmark in September, but the
mean position of young birds is in Denmark. The migration
is directed more or less due S. In October the first birds have
reached Morocco. No Danish barn swallows have been recovered between Morocco and the Congo to provide information
about the passage of the Sahara. In November Danish swallows have been recovered south of the Sahara in Angola and
during winter in South Africa, Ghana, the Congo, Namibia,
Zimbabwe and Morocco. Barn swallows start their return
migration in late February and in April the mean position is
in the Mediterranean. In spring most Danish barn swallows
migrate due north through central Europe. Most birds arrive
in Denmark in April. Of 152 barn swallows ringed and recovered as adults in the breeding season, 86 % were recovered at
the ringing site (mean distance 1 km). Of 173 birds ringed as
chicks and recovered in a subsequent breeding season, 71 were
recovered at the breeding site, 54 as one-year-olds.
Barn swallows ringed in Denmark in September–October
have been recovered in southern Sweden and Norway.
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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