Banbura J. & Zielinski P. (2000) Repeatability of reproductive traits in female Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica. ARDEA 88 (1): 75-80

The constancy of laying date, clutch size, numbers of hatchlings and fledglings, and mean egg volume per clutch was studied in female Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica in central Poland in 1994-97. Laying dates of first clutches, clutch size, the number of hatchlings and fledglings and egg volume showed significant repeatability. The highest value of repeatability was found for egg volume (c. 0.75); other breeding characteristics showed more plasticity, with repeatabilities ranging from 0.20 to 0.50. Thus individual differences between females accounted for a considerable proportion of variation in the analysed traits. Female Barn Swallows are moderately consistent in their reproductive traits relative to published values for other species