The swallow is a small bird known for its swift, graceful flight and the annual migration that certain species make each year. Swallows belong to the family Hirundinidae, which includes around 90 species of swallows and martins around the world.
Swallows have long been appreciated for their aerial agility and beauty, and they also have a rich background of myth and folklore in many cultures throughout history. The swallow has been seen as a symbol of new life and renewal because of its return every spring. It has also been associated with love, care for family, change, freedom, and sailors.
Some of the key myths and folklore about the swallow include:
Return of Swallows Heralds Spring
One of the most common swallow myths in many cultures is that the return of the swallows in spring is a sign that the season has changed and warmer weather has returned. There are many legends and proverbs connecting swallows to spring, such as “One swallow does not make a spring.” People have looked for the reappearance of swallows to know that winter was over and planting season had begun.
Swallows Nesting Bring Good Luck
It has long been considered good luck if swallows nest on or near one’s home. An old saying goes “Happy is the home that swallows nest upon.” People enjoy watching the aerial displays of swallows during mating season and their busy activity while building mud nests. Not only is it believed to bring good luck, but it shows that the homeowner lives in a peaceful and calm home.
Swallows Have Healing Powers
Swallow’s nests, eggs, and body parts have been used in folk medicine around the world, mainly connected to their association with springtime and renewal. For example, in Chinese medicine dried swallow’s nests have been used to treat disorders like coughing. Saliva from swallow nests was also used inARROWROOT medicines in parts of Europe. And swallow eggs and bones were sometimes worn as amulets for their healing powers.
Swallows Aid Sailors and Travelers
Many cultures tell tales of swallows guiding lost sailors back to shore and keeping seafarers company on their voyages. It was considered very lucky for a sailor to have swallows following his ship. There are also myths of swallows riding along on the backs of horses to guide the riders home. So swallows were seen as helpful companions and navigators for those on journeys.
Details of the Swallow’s Migration
The association between swallows and seasonal change developed because many swallow species are migratory birds. The most common species in North America and Europe are the barn swallow, tree swallow, bank swallow, cliff swallow, and purple martin. These swallows migrate south in the fall to warmer climates, usually to Central and South America, then return again in the spring.
Why Swallows Migrate
Swallows migrate for two main reasons:
- Food – Insects are the main food source for swallows. The abundance of flying insects goes down in cooler weather, so swallows move on when this food source declines.
- Cold intolerance – Small birds like swallows are vulnerable to cold weather and struggle to survive freezing temperatures and snow. Their insect diet also declines in winter.
By migrating to warmer, tropical areas swallows have a consistent food supply and can avoid dangerously cold temperatures.
Timing of Migration
Most species of swallows in North America migrate to their wintering grounds in Central or South America between September and November. They return to their breeding grounds between March and May. However, the exact timing can vary by region, species, and weather conditions each year.
Tree swallows are often one of the earliest to arrive in spring, sometimes as early as late February in the southern U.S. Bank swallows tend to migrate later than other species in spring.
In the fall, purple martins and barn swallows are typically the first swallows to leave starting in August or September. Other species may stay into October or November before migrating south.
Route of Migration
The migration paths of swallows form broad flyways over land that concentrate along coasts, rivers, mountain ranges, and other landforms. However, individuals may take varying routes from year to year.
Swallows fly during the day when flying insects are available and rest at night. The average migrating speed is 20-40 mph but can be faster with tailwinds.
Some swallow species fly nonstop over long distances. Others make periodic stops to rest and feed. For example, barn swallows make frequent stops in small groups to replenish energy before moving on.
Navigation on Migration
Swallows rely on a combination of innate instincts and learned behaviors to navigate their bi-annual migrations. Their key navigational tools include:
- Mental map – Returning birds have memory of landmarks and routes from previous journeys.
- Orientation by the sun – Swallows use the position of the sun to determine their direction.
- Ability to recalibrate – Swallows can get their bearings from the stars, sun, and magnetic field if they are blown off course.
Tracking studies have shown swallows often return to the exact same nesting sites year after year, even though they travel thousands of miles in between. Their navigational programming guides them on these epic seasonal journeys.
Symbolic Meanings of Swallows in Mythology
Beyond the association with seasonal change, swallows have taken on additional symbolic meanings in myths, folktales, and superstitions across different cultures. Some of the key symbolic links include:
Fertility and New Life
The swallow’s swift return in springtime as a harbinger of renewed life has tied it to fertility and rebirth in many cultures. The number of eggs and offspring from swallows also amplifies this link to new life. Cartouches on Egyptian hieroglyphics sometimes depicted swallows as symbols of fertility.
Motherhood and Caregiving
Swallows demonstrate strong mothering instincts as they build nests, lay eggs, and care tirelessly for hatchlings. This bonds the swallow to qualities of maternity, nurture, and attentive child-rearing. Ancient Greek images sometimes showed a mother pelican feeding her young, but this was originally derived from the swallow’s maternal care.
Direction and Wayfinding
Since swallows reappear faithfully after migrations of thousands of miles, they emblemize direction, fidelity to course, and successful return from a journey. Swallows represented guidance back home for sailors, travelers, and pilgrims on distant journeys in many myths.
Loyalty, Care, Community
Swallows mate for life and interact socially. Their colonies and flocks represent cooperative community. This tight bonding reflects meanings of loyalty, faithfulness, and care for one another. Some Polynesian myths use the swallow as a sign of dependable loyalty and community-mindedness.
Freedom and Joy
The swallow’s free-flowing flight has associated it with open air, lack of restraint, and carefree joie de vivre. There is a Greek myth that sailors freed a swallow from captivity as thanks to the goddess Aphrodite, who valued freedom. Swallows still symbolized joy and liberation from constraints.
Notable Myths Featuring Swallows
Some of the most well-known myths and legends that feature swallows as key symbols or characters include:
Greek Myth of Philomela
In Greek mythology, Philomela was a princess turned into a swallow to escape her sister’s husband Tereus after he assaulted her. He cut out Philomela’s tongue but she was still able to reveal his crime by weaving it into a tapestry. The gods change her into a swallow so she can escape. She is said to sing beautiful songs in summer though she has no tongue.
Swallows in Polynesian Mythology
There is a famous Polynesian tale of swallows circling the marooned canoe of the fisherman Ngahue. The swallows guided Ngahue back to Hawaii by circling in the direction he should steer to get back home. This story made the swallow a symbol of loyalty and helpful direction in returning from journeys.
European Swallow Legends
Many European legends emphasize the swallow’s link to new life and renewal because of its punctual springtime return. One tale claims swallows hibernate all winter in marshes and ride back on kites’ tails when they emerge. Another says swallows winter under water then fly out bearing the gift of fire when they return.
Navaho Swallow Myth
There is a Navaho myth claiming the first swallow came to life when the goddess Estsanatlehi modeled a young maiden from clay on the banks of a river. The clay maiden was brought to life by the river’s foam and became the first swallow, beginning an age of renewal.
Swallow Symbolism in Ancient Egypt
Swallows were used in hieroglyphics and decorations as symbols of virtues like care, family, and diligence. Egyptians observed swallow behaviors like nest-building and drawing correlations to human values. The swallow reminded them of devoted mothers and wives nurturing homes.
Swallow Superstitions and Beliefs
Beyond mythologies, a number of superstitions and folk beliefs have emerged around swallows over time. Some examples include:
- Killing a swallow was thought to bring bad luck by some Native American tribes.
- Sailors believed swallows embodied the souls of lost seamen.
- Swallows swooping down around someone foretold an imminent death.
- If swallows desert a home, it meant misfortune would soon follow for the inhabitants.
- Disturbing a swallow’s nest would bring down a curse that causes cows to stop producing milk.
- The number of spots on a swallow’s egg predicted how many sailors would be lost at sea that year.
While myths elevated swallows as bringers of spring and guides of travelers, superstitions also made them harbingers of misfortune if harmed or offended. Their dramatic migrations tied them to human themes of life, death, renewal, fidelity, and the unpredictable changes of fate.
Conclusion
The swallow has been an important symbol and character in the myths and folklore of many human cultures, often representing springtime hope, new life, maternity, travel, fidelity in marriage, community, and freedom. Superstitions also gave the swallow power over human fortune, for good or ill.
While swallow biology explains their seasonal patterns, human imagination is responsible for the rich symbolic meanings swallows represent. Their annual cycling hits on universal themes of life, death, and renewal that have made swallows vehicles for cultural values like caregiving, loyalty, direction, and the caprices of destiny. These meanings reveal the swallow is far more than just another migrating bird species. Over centuries, human myth-making has turned the swallow into a feathered icon of our own hopes, dreams, and timeless spiritual yearnings.