Since the post below involves birds as well as insects, I thought I'd 
see if birders can offer some insight.

June

-- 
June Tveekrem
Columbia, Maryland
tweekiebird|AT|southernspreadwing.com
http://SouthernSpreadwing.com


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[ENTOMO-L] swallows flying low
Date: 	Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:12
From: 	Toomas Tammaru <>
To: 	



Dear colleagues,

I was approached by the editor of a popular book and asked to
comment, from the entomologist's point of view, on the well-known
phenomenon that swallows fly low above the ground before the onset of
rainy weather. I was not able to comment.

May anyone know why exactly is this the case:
- do the swallows follow their prey items?
- if yes, which insects fly low above the ground before rain and
why? Do the insects 'decide' to do so (an adaptive response to what?), or
are they just unable to fly higher under such conditions?

With apologies, Toomas

**************************
Toomas Tammaru
professor of zoology
http://www.ut.ee/~tammarut