# Swallows and Intersections **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2002, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallows-and-intersections/109258 "2002-05-15T20:14:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sn-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sn-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sn-man)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallows-and-intersections/109258/1 "2002-05-15T20:14:57Z")
My wife and I were waiting for the light to turn green at an intersection. We noticed what looked to be 15 or so swallows flying through, around, landing and taking off again, right at the intersection. We started paying attention and this seemed to be common. The question is: What would be causing the birds to gather at intersections? Does anyone know the Straight Dope? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallows-and-intersections/109258/2 "2002-05-16T00:59:50Z")
IIRC, swallows are bug-eaters. If this happened at night, they may have been working the cloud of bugs gathered around the lighted intersection. If it was daytime, I dunno. –Nott ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallows-and-intersections/109258/3 "2002-05-16T15:16:12Z")
Swallows are diurnal, so lights are unlikely to be the explanation. Swallows feed on small flying insects. The only thing I can think of is that if the streets were lined with tall enough buildings, air eddies at intersections could cause local concentrations of insects. But that’s pure speculation.