Barn Swallows and Cats (Random Pointless Photos)

Nesting barn swallows hate cats. All a cat has to do is come into the yard, and the barn swallows start chirping angrily and diving at it.

Occasionally they will half-heartedly dive at a dog in the yard, and as for a person outdoors in the vicinity of the nest, they will come over and inspect said person, scold a bit and generally give the stink-eye.

But a cat, they will enthusiastically harass for a quarter of an hour, until the cat gets tired of the hassle and goes away.

My cat Sammie slipped out the door this afternoon. One barn swallow spotted her, sounded the alarm and attacked. Within a few minutes there were three of them dive-bombing her. Sammie occasionally flailed out, trying to catch one, but the barn swallows are much too fast for her.


(Click on images to enlarge)



Sammie eventually gave up and went and hid between the house and the garage.

My other cat, Birdie, won't even try to cross the yard in daylight, for fear the barn swallows will get him. But then he's always been a scaredy-cat.