Take some time to scan skies for all varieties of swallows

"Sharp little birds," the woman said, describing the objects she'd seen over the Fox River. I scanned the field guide in my brain to identify the birds sight unseen.

She added that they were "fast, and pointy."

Ah-ha! Sharp-fast-pointy-little birds over the Fox River can be none other than swallows.

Chances are you've seen scores of these small jet fighter-like birds in the summer. Next time, take a closer look. Swallows are some of the coolest birds around. People across cultures and continents have thought so too. These birds have been part of folklore worldwide for thousands of years. Their odysseys in migration and their ecological feats contribute to the aura and mystique of these marvelous birds.

If you try to follow one by sight you'll get dizzy from their swooping, banking, rising and falling. They're not just showing off. The swallows are engaged in the serious business of foraging - in other words, the pursuit and capture of food. They feed on the wing, swooping to catch insects in midair with aerial maneuvers that surpass any stunt pilot's.

Swallows are formidable long distance flyers as well. Their voyages span oceans and continents - some species clocking 12,000 miles round trip.

Swallows are tough to identify in mixed flocks while performing aerial loop-de-loops at top speed. One species, though, is a bit easier than others to pick out in flight: the Barn Swallow. The giveaway for this species is its long, forked tail. According to folklore, the barn swallow's forked tail is the result of its theft of fire from the gods. An angry deity threw a ball of fire at the bird's tail and it has been split ever since.

The Barn Swallow is familiar to many people who have found themselves host to swallow nests on porches and overhangs near a house, barn or garage. They are among several species that seem to prefer man-made structures for nesting. If you happen to have such a nest, consider yourself fortunate. In old England - so the story goes - a swallow nest on your house will bring good luck. If the swallow actually flies into your house, you will have "considerable good fortune." On the other hand, if the swallow abandons its nest, get ready for "major misfortune."

Another species you're likely to see this summer is the Tree Swallow. Tree Swallows are impressive birds with metallic blue-green backs and pure white undersides. They have taken a liking to bird houses - particularly Bluebird nest boxes. Although they nest as single pairs, Tree Swallows form large flocks during the non-breeding season.

"Tree swallows congregate into enormous flocks and night roosts, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands," according to Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's Web site www.allaboutbirds.org. "They gather about an hour before sunset at a roost site, forming a dense cloud. They swirl around like a living tornado and as darkness approaches they then wheel low over the cattail marsh or grove of small trees. Large numbers drop down into the roost with each pass of the flock until the flock disappears."

Cliff Swallows are the champion migrators of the group, traveling up to 6,000 miles from breeding grounds in North America (as far north as the upper reaches of Canada) to wintering grounds in Southern Brazil, Bolivia and central Argentina. That's just one way. They turn right around and make the return trip in the spring. Not too shabby for a bird that measures five-and-a-half inches long. In their breeding grounds, Cliff Swallows often use man-made structures for nest sights.

Unfortunately, this puts them in direct competition with the invasive English House Sparrows who have effectively pushed them farther north than Kane County.

You may see Cliff Swallows here during migration, however, and they're worth taking a look at. They have an artist's flair about them, with a white forehead against a bluish cap, a rufous cheek and a dark throat.

Northern Rough-winged Swallows are drab, nondescript little birds, but don't let that fool you. They are worth their weight in, well, insects. They're on duty day-in, day-out to snatch insects in mid air.

Rough-wingeds tend to be solitary, unlike their crowd-loving relatives the Tree Swallows. They normally nest in the cavities of walls and sandbanks. There has been a report of one pair exercising their Second Amendment rights by taking up residence in a Civil War cannon.

The smallest swallow, the Bank Swallow, is a little over five inches long and weighs less than half an ounce. Bank Swallows are common colony nesters and, like all swallows, they have a voracious appetite for insects. They are beach birds to me, because I've seen them zooming along the shore of Lake Michigan in pursuit of insects. On a recent beach walk I found a Bank Swallow nest tunneled in a sandbank.

Bank Swallows are not restricted to beaches by any means. You may see Bank Swallows over the Fox River, or in open fields and prairies with water sources close by.

Purple Martins are the largest swallows, measuring about eight inches long and weighing about two ounces. You can spot these large blue-black swallows cruising over open areas, flying at higher altitudes than their kin. Purple Martins not only catch and eat their food in flight, but they drink "on the wing" as well.

Watch them skim the water, bill agape, scooping up water. Not only are Purple Martins fun to watch, they also provide pleasant background music on summer evenings with their "melodious, rich, low whistles," as birding expert David Sibley describes.

As you walk along the Fox River or ride the bike trails through the county this summer, take a moment to look for the "sharp little birds" plying the skies for insects. Consider your fortune to share a habitat with these phenomenal flying machines.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Swallows in mythology and folklore </p> <p class="News">Swallows have captured the attention - and imagination - of people throughout the world. They have inspired some of the richest avian folklore in cultures near and far. </p> <p class="News">Ethno-ornithologists, those who study the cultural connection between birds and humans, have researched and written extensively about the role of swallows in human history. Here's a sampling of these intriguing stories.</p> <p class="News">• In ancient Egyptian mythology, the goddess Isis took the form of a swallow as she flew to find Osiris, her murdered lover. Resurrecting him, she bears his son. Probably human, not avian, but you never know with these deity.</p> <p class="News">• According to Danish folklore, a swallow consoled Christ as he was crucified. The bird flew around the cross crying "Svale! Svale!" in solace. Thus, one name for the swallow is "svale bird."</p> <p class="News">• The appearance of swallows in spring means that summer is on the way; if the bird flies low, rain is coming. </p> <p class="News">• In German folklore, if a woman walks on a swallow egg (should she be climbing a roof or hanging under the eves), she will become barren.</p> <p class="News">• In France, if a swallow lands on your shoulder death will soon follow (presumably your death, not the swallow's).</p> <p class="News">• In several cultures it is said that if you kill a swallow, your cow will produce bad milk. </p> <p class="News">• If a swallow nests on your roof, you will be afforded protection against fire, lightning and storm damage. </p> <p class="News">• To destroy or rob swallow nests brings misfortune. Someone you know will break a leg or your bank will collapse and your family will face financial ruin. </p>