Barn swallows are found on all continents except Antarctica, breeding across North America, Europe, and Asia, and wintering in Central and South America, Africa, and parts of Asia and Australia.

It is a distinctive medium-sized passerine bird, easily identified by its long, deeply forked tail. The upper feathers are an iridescent navy-blue, contrasting with a rich orange or buffy-orange throat and underparts.

They are known for catching insects mid-flight, often hunting just above the ground or water.

It is very common all over West Malaysia, including Seberang Perai, especially the paddy fields and more open habitat, more common on the west coast of the Island. It was previously very common in “older towns” surrounded by paddyfields and rubber estate, where it will roost in thousands at night. But with the urbanization of these towns and the developement of their surrounding rural habitat their numbers have dropped sugnificantly.