Swallow Hirundo rustica

Very scarce breeding summer visitor and fairly common passage migrant

The first documented record for Foula was by T.S. Traill, who observed swallows in the valleys of Foula (Neill, cited in Pennington et al., 2004).

Birds have been recorded from May to October on the island. The earliest migrant appeared on the 3^rd May, 2003 and the latest was a single bird on the 10^th October, 1997, although lack of observers earlier and later in the season means there may have been others.

Birds usually pass through in ones or twos, occasionally higher single figures, and are normally found flying up and down the Ham or Hametoun valleys, or around the extreme northerly or southerly cliffs, whichever is in the lea of the wind.

The highest single day count was 14 in September (specific date unknown) 2002, although there were 12 on the 17^th August.