Access
This article is part of Nature's premium content.
Published online 19 January 2000 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news000120-8
News
Red or dead
It's a cold, hard world for the baby barn swallow: only the fit get fed, reports Sara Abdulla.
As any springtime nest attests, many young birds beg food from their parents by making lots of noise and opening their beaks very wide to reveal brightly coloured 'gapes'. Now a group of Italian and French researchers have shown that amongst barn swallows (Hirundo rustica), at least, this familiar pastoral scene hides a chilling example of the harshness of life.
To read this story in full you will need to login or make a payment (see right).
Comments
Reader comments are usually moderated after posting. If you find something offensive or inappropriate, you can speed this process by clicking 'Report this comment' (or, if that doesn't work for you, email redesign@nature.com). For more controversial topics, we reserve the right to moderate before comments are published.